Sterling Silver
by crystallizedflames
Summary: FredXOC GeorgeXOC.Pre-DH. Fred and George discover a new set of twins at Hogwarts: Cora and Briar Sterling.Briar and Fred always seem to be at ends with one another, but Fred still finds himself falling for her. And Cora and George have their own problem.
1. I COULD Shut Up

**YAYAY! I GET TO WRITE THE FIRST CHAPTER ! **

**My friend MaddieInWonderland and I decided to co-write this story together. I get the odd chapters, and she gets the even. **

**I'm praying this works…NO OFFENSE. **

**NOTE: **_"Italics" _**is Fred and George speaking together.**

**DISCLAIMER: I'm in LOVE with Fred. If I owned Harry Potter, I would make him real. So, since he's not sitting next to me right now…I'm guessing he's not here…so I don't own it….**

_I COULD Shut Up….But I Really Don't Feel Like It_

_Harry's 3__rd__ Year: So, our fifth, at Hogwarts._

George and I really didn't care all that much about the kids younger than us. I mean, yeah, we did care about Harry, and Ron (obviously) and Hermione, and their friends…but not enough to actually _pay attention _to everything they did.

I mean, we aren't bloody stalkers or anything.

But when Hermione came running into the Gryffindor common room yelling about how her best friends had vanished off the face of the Earth, we took that as a hint to listen.

"Who are they again?" George asked her.

"Yeah, and why do you want _us _to help you?" I said, staring at her.

"Because." She said, glaring at us and crossing her arms. "I'll tell Ron that it was you who took his favorite Quidditch robes and threw them to Fluffy."

We looked at each other. "_Where do you want us to start?"_

Which is how George and I got stuck looking for whoever-they-were on a beautiful day to play a prank on Snape. Or Percy. Or Ron. Or anyone else for that matter.

We were wandering around in the far end of the castle, back where all the abandoned classrooms were, when George stopped suddenly.

"Fred," He whispered, moving towards a door open halfway. "Come 'ere."

I reluctantly obeyed. It astounds me how much control he has over me when _I'm _the older twin.

We peered into the room to see a girl with extremely dark brown, wavy hair that was up in a high ponytail, lying on the ground, wearing an open-backed, dark blue leotard with no tights. Music began to play in the background. **(AN: Go to YouTube and type in 'Up with End Credits' and click the first one. PLAY IT NOW.) **It started out with just a drum, or trumpet or something, and then a flute started to play. As soon as it did, the girl began to rise, and started to dance.

She began with her arms raised, and started to turn. She pirouetted again, and again. George was entranced. I sighed, annoyed.

"George, can we leav-" I was cut off by a different wind instrument beginning to play, and another girl, with long, platinum blonde, wavy hair leaped out. She wore a white, long-sleeved leotard with no tights, which did nothing for her pale skin, but she wore a dark blue t-shirt with a wide collar that fell off her shoulders over it. She had tied it in the back with a hairband so that it fitted her waist. She danced, and although her moves weren't as ballet-like as the other girl's, she still moved gracefully. When her solo ended, both girls started to twirl and dance together.

I know knew how George felt. It really was addicting, watching them dance. The girl with the platinum hair moved her arms effortlessly and gracefully, and I didn't really care what the other girl was doing. She was the only one I watched. She leapt perfectly in time to the music. Every time the music got louder, she would jump, doing a perfect split in the air.

**(Stop Reading for a second, and imagine the dance.)**

The music grew soft, and the girl with the platinum hair started to dance solo. She danced around the girl with the dark ebony hair, slowly, as if in a dream-like state, raising her arms high above her head and standing on her tip-toes the whole time, and then yet _another _wind instrument came in, and they both left our vision. George sighed, and, surprisingly, I found I did too. Then, the music grew louder than it ever had, and both girls leaped in. They started doing things where they stood on their toes and leaned forward with one leg raised behind them. They twirled and turned in double pirouettes. They pointed their toes at the exact same time, and raised their legs high in the air, touching their faces. I didn't know how long George and I sat there, but I knew I didn't care. Watching them was amazing.

The way the girl's hair flowed gracefully behind her, the way she never seemed to falter or miss a step, it was amazing. Her friend, or whoever it was, did the same.

When the song faded, both girls went back to the original position that the first girl had started in. Then, maracas started playing. The girl with the platinum hair's head shot up.

"What's this? I didn't know it was on the soundtrack."

The girl with the dark hair sighed. "It's not supposed to be. I thought this was the one I fixed. I'll go stop it."

"No, don't." The other said, and then she got up from her spot. She started to dance in a completely different way than before. It looked like tangoing mixed with gymnastics. She smiled as she spun with her imaginary partner, and I felt my heart rise.

She grabbed her sister, and started using her as an actual partner. She laughed. "Come on, Cora. Can't you tango?"

"Tango?" The other girl, Cora, scoffed. "Ballet is my life. Who cares about the other forms of dance?"

"I do." The other girl said, spinning Cora around. Without realizing it, I stepped into the room.

"I'm a pretty good tango-er, if I do say so myself." I leaned against the door, opening it all the way, and smiling at the two. Immediately, the smile disappeared off the blonde girl's face. She glared at me.

She had the darkest of blue eyes I had ever seen.

Cora turned around to face me. She, too, had extremely dark blue eyes, exactly like the other girl's. She smiled, unlike her partner. "Hi! I didn't know we had an audience."

"Sorry to intrude." George appeared from outside of the room. I glanced at him, suspicious. When had George become polite?

"It's fine. We were just practicing." Cora waved at him, but I saw a tinge of blush on her cheeks.

The other girl huffed. "I'm going to go change. And possibly find Hermione and Luna." She stalked out of the room, shoving past George and I. I glared at her retreating form.

No one shoves past me and lives to tell the tale.

Cora smiled regretfully at us. "Sorry. She's pretty guarded when you first meet her, but she's really sweet once you get to know her. That was Briar, Briar Sterling, by the way."

"Her name suits her," I mumbled, but George elbowed me.

"I'm Coralie Sterling, but everyone calls me Cora. Briar and I are fraternal twins." She held out a hand. George took it.

"You're a lot nicer than she is. You sure you guys are twins?" I asked her. She laughed and nodded.

"George and Fred Weasley. I'm George." He glanced at me. "He's Fred."

"Thanks. I didn't realize I was incapable of introducing myself."

George glared at me, and went back to talking to Cora. I really didn't care what they were saying. Then something random popped into my head.

"Hey, are you two possibly the 'best friends' that Hermione was talking about?" I asked her.

Cora looked surprised. "Um, yeah, I guess. I wouldn't say 'best' friends though. We've known her and Luna for a long time though."

I smiled. "Great. Search: done. Let's go George." I grabbed his arm, but he shoved me off.

"I'll stay and talk to Cora for a bit."

I gave him a weird look. Was he blowing me off? _For a girl?_ Whatever. "Fine. I guess I'll go find Briar and 'get to know her' a little bit." I gave him a sneaky smile, and headed down the hallway, in the direction Briar had gone. Pulling out the Marauder's Map, I quietly said the spell to unlock it. "_I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."_

I looked through it as people appeared, their footsteps moving throughout Hogwarts. I caught sight of the ones labeled _Briar Sterling_, pacing around in hallway in front of the Gryffindor Common Room. I smiled, already thinking of what I could do to her.

"_Mischief Managed."_


	2. Totally, BriarI'm Pregnant

George and I ended up staying in that room for a really long time, just talking. He ended up knowing everything about me, which really isn't that hard for me since I'm very open with everyone I meet. 

I only got to know a few things about him, though, when I realized it was 1:30 a.m. and I still hadn't heard anything from Briar.

"I'm worried. I haven't heard from Briar. I should go look for her." I say, standing up.

"I'll help you." George said.

"Thanks." I said and smiled at him. His face turned a little pink. Awwh, he blushed. That's so cute.

"Come on. Let's go." He said, obviously trying to draw the attention away from his pink face. He took hold of my hand, pulling me along through the darkened hall.

"Damn, if only we had Marauder's Map…" he said

Suddenly, it dawned on me.

"I know where she is." I say, sure of myself.

"Where?" 

"Well, for one, we're pretty stupid for not looking there in the first place…" I say, thinking out loud. 

"Where is she, then?"

"Either the Gryffindor Common Room or in bed, sleeping."

"Yeah, okay, we're stupid…" George said, "I can't believe we didn't think of looking there sooner."

"Alright," I say, "Onward and forward."

We arrive at the Gryffindor Common Room, and Fred is sitting there, waiting. He glances at us with a questioning look on his face. George and I look at our clasped hands, then look at each other, and awkwardly let go of the other's hand. Apparently, Fred thought of this as something to torture George with later, because he grinned an evil grin. He was about to speak when I interrupted. 

"Where's Briar?" I ask. 

"She went to bed." Fred replied, "She was waiting here for you earlier, but she got tired and went to bed. Since I still hadn't seen George, I told her that I'd wait for you guys and send you up as soon as you got here. So go upstairs."

"Fine." I say, "But don't get used to me following orders." And I walk upstairs.

I open the door to the Girl's Dormitory, and immediately, I was tackled to the ground by someone.

"Coralie Hazel Sterling." My sister's voice said sternly, "Why are you back so late?"

"Relax, Briar," I reply, untangling myself from her grip and going over to my dresser to put on my P.J.'s. "I was with George. There's nothing to worry about."

"You being alone with George is a very good reason for me NOT to relax." She says, getting into her bed, "You two could have done 'it', for all I know!"

"Yes, Briar," I say sarcastically, "Because I totally just had sex with George Weasley and I'm expecting the birth of his children in 9 months."

She sighs. "I just remember promising Dad before we left that I would keep you from doing anything that you'll regret later on. I don't want to let him down."

"You won't let him down. You know why? Because I'm not going to do anything I'll regret and neither will you."

She smiled. "Love you, Coralie."

"Love you too, Briar. Now go to sleep."

"Goodnight." She says.

"Goodnight." I reply, and crawl under my covers, falling asleep almost instantly.


	3. Is That Seriously All You Can Do?

**YAY 3****rd**** chapter! I think our collaboration is going really well. Considering we stayed up all night NOT working on it….haha…yeah….great bunch of authors you guys have got…**

** Anyways, here's the third chapter, because I know you guys have been lining up for days waiting for it.**

** Not. **

** It's also super long to make up for how short Chapter 2 was. (hahaha MaddieInWonderland…)**

** Disclaimer: Nope. Don't own it. Not now, not ever. Unless I am somehow related to J.K. Rowling and when she dies she gives me her rights to Harry Potter….probably not gonna happen… **

_Is that Seriously All You Can Do?_

I was pacing around outside of the Gryffindor Common Room, waiting for Cora, finally wearing my normal clothes of a pair of skinny jeans, a dark blue tank-top, and my signature necklace, a crystal rose with gold edging on a gold chain.

I started playing with it subconsciously as I paced in front of the entrance to the Common Room. This was the sole possession I owned that I hadn't lost or forgotten somewhere.

And I seriously lost and/or forgot EVERYTHING. Ask Cora.

When Cora came back to my mind, I woke up from my trance. Glancing around, I didn't see her anywhere. But another figure was now leaning against the wall across from me. One with red hair and an ever-growing smirk.

I scowled at his form, immediately throwing up my guard.

"That's no way to greet someone, Briar." Fred said, smirking.

Cora must've told him my name. _Stupid Cora…_ I snorted anyways, and kept pacing. Fred stayed where he was, watching me. After a few minutes, he spoke again. "Aren't you supposed to be wearing robes?"

I glanced at him from the corner of my eye. "They're…somewhere."

He looked genuinely shocked. "You _lost _them?"

I shrugged, turning to face him. "Happens a lot. I don't care. They always show up somewhere, or Cora finds them for me."

I didn't like the glint in his eyes. "You're really…interesting, ya know?"

I stiffened. _Too much…I've let him know too much…_ "Sure." I turned towards the painting of the Fat Lady behind me.

"Phoenix Feather." She nodded, and it swung open to reveal the corridor leading to the Common Room. I walked through, Fred following behind me, rushing to catch up.

"Briar, wait! I have something for you!"

I stopped, but didn't turn around. A bouquet of yellow roses appeared in front of me. I glanced at Fred, suspicious. He just smiled.

"Yellow means 'friendship.' At least, that's what Ginny told me."

"I don't need your friendship." I said, looking at the flowers. They smelled strange…kind of like…

"Just take the flowers."

"Naw, you can have them." I said, shoving them into Fred's face. Almost immediately, a wart appeared on his nose.

A wart spell. That's what I had smelled. I'm abnormally good at smelling things and knowing what they are. It's one of the reasons why Potions is my best subject.

He glared at me. "You're going to pay for that."

I laughed. "Like I did when you tried giving me these?"

He just kept glaring. I slightly tempted to leave him there with the wart on his nose and make us sworn enemies…but who needed _more _enemies? I've already got enough back home.

I said the counter-curse, and pointed my wand (made of rosewood, which I think is funny because of my middle name, with a core of a phoenix feather. Not _only _Harry has one, ya know.) at his nose, vanishing the wart. He stared at me in surprise.

"Don't get used to it." I muttered, turning away from him. "I just have enough enemies; I don't need another one."

I started towards the staircase leading up to the dormitories, when I heard Fred say something behind me. I glanced back. "What?"

"I said, thanks."

"Oh. Well, you're welcome." I smiled at him a little bit, and turned back towards the staircase. I didn't want to see him blush, like most boys did, because then I'd have to use it against him.

* * *

><p>The next morning, (after I had given Cora a talking-to about staying out late with George. <em>Shudder.<em>) while we were down at breakfast, I felt someone other than Hermione, my sister, or Luna slide into the seat next to me.

"Good morning, Briar."

"Just because I healed your nose does _not,_ I repeat, _not _make us friends. You got that?" I glared at the orange-headed twin.

He put his hands up, giving me a smile. "Hey, hey, I _just _said good morning. You don't have to kill me."

I went back to cutting up my pancakes. "I might just have to."

He laughed, although I was serious. I'd watched enough Muggle crime shows to kill someone, hide the evidence, then frame someone else. It would be even easier considering I was a wizard.

"Why are you doing that?"

"Doing what?" I said, annoyed. He had _waayy _too many questions. Besides, people kept looking at us.

"Eating your pancakes without syrup?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. My dad's health conscious. I've always eaten my pancakes without syrup."

"So, he thinks you're fat?"

I glared at him. "I didn't say that." He didn't say anything in return, so I just went on eating my syrup-less pancakes. After a while, he started to speak again. _This guy just never shuts up…_

"Well, you aren't, if you're wondering."

I looked up in confusion. "Aren't what?"

"Fat." He mumbled it, but I still heard him. I glanced at my figure.

"As any girl can tell you, I don't believe you, but that was really sweet, thanks." I kept eating my pancakes. Luna came bounding up to us.

"Hello Rose, hello Fred." She said, smiling at the two of us. Fred looked around in confusion.

"Who's Rose?"

Luna looked at him like he was crazy, then she pointed at me. I slightly shook my head 'NO' but she didn't seem to notice. "That's Rose."

Fred looked at me in astonishment. "Rose?"

I glared at Luna. I seemed to be doing that a lot. "It's my middle name. Call me by it, and die."

"But she called yo-"

I held up a hand. "Luna and Hermione have special privileges that _you _don't get."

I felt him put his chin in my neck. I glanced over to see his face right next to mine. "And, what, Briar, can I do to be let in on these _special privileges_?"

I shrugged him off, but he just put his arms around my waist. Luna smiled.

"You can be her boyfriend."

I started to mentally kill Luna in my head. That Killing Spell would be too nice…maybe I could Crucio her, then throw her into a sea infested with piranha with a bowling ball attached to her ankle…

Fred smiled. "That wouldn't be a bad idea…"

"Yeah, but since I hate you, and we _aren't _on friendly terms with each other, I'd say it wouldn't be a very smart one." I spat, standing up and grabbing Luna's arm. "Now if you don't mind, I'm going to go take care of some 'business.'" I smiled evilly at Luna, but she had a dazed look on her face, which made me think she wasn't paying attention. Again.

I started dragging her out of the Great Hall. "Bye Luna! Bye Briar! _I love you!_" Fred's voice called out.

I clenched my fists and walked out of the hall as fast as I could with my head down.

I was starting to rethink this thing about us not being enemies…

* * *

><p>"Ms. Sterling, you can go sit next to Mr. Weasley, over there." Professor Snape motioned towards the only empty spot in the room. The one right next to Fred Weasley.<p>

I grumbled, but headed over anyways. Because of my high grades in Potions, Professor Snape had decided to move me to a higher level than the other kids in my grade. Which not only meant that I would have more expected of me, but also that I would be placed in the same class as the fourth years.

Which included Fred Weasley, apparently.

The ginger in question smiled as I approached. I just glared and set my things down.

"Well, now I won't fail Potions."

"Well, now I'll lose my sanity."

He pouted. "That's not very nice, Briar."

"I've been getting asked all day if you and I are dating. I have every reason _not _to be nice to you." It was true. Almost every single girl, and a few guys, at Hogwarts had asked me or Cora if Fred and I were dating. I answered no to all of them, but I have a feeling Cora said yes to a few.

"Class, today you'll all be making a batch of Wit-Sharpening Potion. You'll find it on page 431 in your book." Snape then turned back to his desk and started looking at some papers that lied there.

Fred flipped to the page. "Alright…this looks easy enough…"

I snorted. "Wit-Sharpening Potion? I've been making that with Hermione since we were little."

Fred looked at me in shock. "You know this potion?"

I shrugged. "I'm in your class, aren't I?" Then I headed to the cupboard to get the ingredients. _Scarab beetle…ginger root…armadillo bile…scarab beetle…ginger root….armadillo bile…._

I collected the three ingredients and set to work boiling the potion. Fred looked at the textbook page.

"It says to 'Simmer the ground scarab beetle in the potion before putting in the cut-up ginger root.'"

"I know." I said, then dumped the sliced ginger root into the potion. Fred freaked out.

"What didja do that for! We were SUPPOSED to put in the scarab beetle FIRST!"

"I know." Was all that I said. I knew Fred expected more, but considering what he had done at breakfast, he wasn't going to get it. I waited for the potion to give off the smell of ginger, then scattered the ground scarab beetle into it, slowly stirring it.

"It says to go counter-clockwise."

"I know."

"Then WHY are you going CLOCKWISE?"

"Fred, let me work." I poured in the armadillo bile, but in short bursts, stirring the drops in before I put in more.

Snape walked by our table. He smiled slightly when he saw what I was doing, then glared at Fred. "Mr. Weasley, you should learn to watch what Ms. Sterling is _doing, _not what she is _wearing._" Then he whooshed away with his black cloak billowing behind him.

I stared at Fred, one eyebrow raised. A tinge of red crossed his cheeks. Too bad for the 'Don't-Watch-Fred-Blush' rule I had.

He started stuttering an excuse, but I held up a hand. "Don't. You'll only make it worse for yourself."

Sadly, at Professor Snape's loud comment, now all of the fourth year boys were staring at me. I kept my focus on the potion, but I felt Fred's arm snake around my waist.

"Fred," I said calmly. "What in Merlin's name are you _doing_?"

"Keeping the perverts away from you."

"Sadly, I'm sitting next to one. Maybe you should keep _him _away too." I responded, shoving his arm off my waist, and stirring the potion one more time.

I raised my hand, sitting gracefully back down on my stool, legs crossed. Fred just stood there, as Snape walked over.

"Yes, Ms. Sterling?"

"I think I've finished, Professor."

"Let me see, then." I poured him a vial of the potion, and gave it to him. Snape inspected it.

"Very good, Ms. Sterling. I do hope that Mr. Weasley learned from what you did, as he _might _have an unexpected _pop quiz _on the subject." He said, replacing the vial and nodding at me, before he went away to inspect someone elses' potion.

"Nice, Briar. You got me an A." He said, leaning back on his stool. I pushed him off with my foot.

"More like, 'Nice, Briar," I said, faking his voice with a high-pitched one. "'You made sure I didn't make a complete arse of myself.'"

He grinned at me. "That's true too. But my voice doesn't sound like that."

"How do you know?" I said, glancing at his shocked face. Before he could retort, however, the bell rang, and I gathered my things and left him sitting alone in the Potions classroom.

* * *

><p>Two weeks since he called out that he loved me in the Great Hall, and I was <em>still <em>getting asked about it. _Two. Bloody. Weeks. _

"Briar, I saw Fred and you cuddling a couple weeks ago in the Great Hall. Are you two dating?"

"Hey Briar! I saw you hangin' with that Weasley twin. Do you two have somethin' going on?"

"Briar! You'd better not get any closer to Fred. He's MINE."

The whole process left me with a headache and a mind full of Fred Weasley. He popped up everywhere I went now. I couldn't come out of the dormitory without seeing him sitting by the fireplace, smirking at me.

"Briar!" Cora bounded up to me as I was walking back from Charms, my last class of the day. Cora excelled in Charms about as much as I did Potions, so she was also in a higher class for that.

"Yeah, Cora?"

"It's really nice outside. Why don't you go flying? You've looked kind of stressed, and Luna, Hermione, and I are kind of worried."

I gave her a look. "I have too much homework. McGonagall assigned us a five-page essay on the history of Transfiguration, remember? And Snape decided to load us with Potions homework tonight, too…"

"I'll do it for you."

I glanced at her. "You sure?"

"Promise."

"Only do half. I'll want to do something productive when I get back."

"Sure." With that, Cora waved, and ran down the corridor with my bag and hers to the Gryffindor Common Room. I smiled, and went outside to an open field.

Taking out my slim wand, I pointed it at the castle. "_Accio broom_." My Nimbus 1700 came flying out of an open window. It wasn't the best broom on the market, but I wasn't really a Quidditch player, so it was well-suited to my needs.

Climbing on top of it, I tossed aside my robe, (I had finally found it; it was in Cora's trunk.) and undid my scarlet-and-gold tie. I didn't wear a sweater vest like some of the other students, so it was just my white, button-up top (undone till the 3rd button), my black mini-skirt (yes, I got away with wearing it. My other, knee-length one 'disappeared' mysteriously in a fire.), with tights, and flats, but I kicked those off.

Sitting side-sadle on it, I pushed off of the ground, and went weaving among the trees. I smiled as the wind rushed past me as I went sailing around the school. I saw other students walking around the courtyard, and waved when I saw Luna. She saw me and waved back.

I slowed down a bit, and just went cruising around. I didn't have any particular place I wanted to go. I was really enjoying it, until-

"Hey, Briar! Wait up!"

Hearing the voice, I gritted my teeth. _He's annoyed me all day…why can't he just leave me alone? _

"Briar." Fred had caught up to me on his broomstick, and in his hands he held my robe and shoes. "You looking for these?"

"No, actually." I said. I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of having a conversation with me.

"Well, what do you want me to do with them?"

I sighed. "Just give them to me."

He smiled. I grimaced. It was obviously something he had wanted to hear. "Nope, sorry. Can't do that."

As much as I didn't want to, I took the bait anyways. "Why not?"

"I want you to answer some questions first."

_Great. It'd better not be anything personal. _But I did need my robe and shoes back… "Fine. What do you want to know?"

"First: Have you ever been kissed?"

_So much for not anything personal. _"Yes."

"Who?"

"That counts as a question. You only get five."

"What? Five?"

"So that's…what…four questions? One left. Make it count."

"Or what?"

"That's number five." I hexed him off his broom, making it so that he dangled by his fingertips. He was on the Quidditch team, so it wasn't that big of a deal. I grabbed my robe and shoes, placing them in front of me on my broom, and took off. I knew he'd follow as soon as he'd gotten back onto his broom.

Might as well enjoy my freedom while it lasts.

I was over the lake, when sure enough, his voice called out from behind me. "No fair, Briar! I still get my questions!"

I laughed. "Sure. But you'll have to catch me first." With that, I leaned forward on my broom and zoomed away, zigzagging through the trees. He'd catch me at one point; I wasn't an extraordinary flyer after all. But I could have some fun while he tried.

He followed me on my wayward route around the school, finally jumping off his broom and tackling me off of mine. We were in the forest by the lake, and he pulled me to his chest as we fell and rolled a couple of feet away from our now-steadfast brooms.

We came to a stop just before the water, me on the ground, him on top of me, pinning me down.

"Great. Now I've got twigs in my hair. Would you mind getting off of me?"

He gave me a mischievous smile. "I don't know if I want to." He leaned down to my neck and sniffed. "Perfume?"

"Don't wear it."

"Then why do you smell seductive?"

"I'm not answering anymore questions until you. Get. Off. Of. Me."

He reluctantly got up, and I sat up, dusting myself off. I glanced up at him. "Your tie is backwards."

He shrugged. "I don't care. Now go sit so I can ask my questions."

I sighed. "Fine." Getting up, I went to go lean against the tree. "What do you want to know first?"

"Okay, first off: I get to decide how many questions there are."

I nodded. "Sure."

"Second: You have to tell the truth."

"Does sarcasm count?"

"Third: No matter what, whatever I ask stays between you and me."

"What about my answers?"

"Okay. First question: Who kissed you?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. Some Muggle named Jasper."

"Do you always lose stuff?"

"Yep."

"Favorite thing to do?"

"Dance. In the rain."

"In the rain?"

"Yes. And that counts as a question."

"Fine. Dated anyone?"

"Yes. I'm bored. Can I leave?"

"No."

"Okay." I got up from my position on the tree and started walking towards my broom. Fred chased after me.

"Hey! I'm not done with the questions yet!"

"You never said I couldn't leave in the middle of it."

"Well, yeah, but…"

"So I'm leaving. Besides, I have homework." Fred grabbed my arm.

"I'll call you Rose every day if you leave."

I debated. More useless questions? Or getting called Rose by my frenemy-ish? The latter won. I turned towards him, sighing. "Fine. Anything else?"

"Are you naturally that pale?"

"Yes. And no, I don't burn." I lied down upon the grassy ground, staring up at the clear, blue sky.

"Thing most scared of?"

"Do gingers count?'

"Har Har. Very funny. Seriously."

"Probably…yeah. Gingers."

"Really?"

"Yep. I'm actually inwardly freaking out because you _touched _me."

"Are you sure it's not just because I' insanely hot?"

I snorted. "You wish." _I can't tell him my real fear. It's not one he would understand…_

"I'm pretty sure that wish was granted." He said, smiling, as he lied down next to me, making our heads touch.

I scooted away. He pulled me back. "Scared of a little _contact _with me, Briar?" He whispered in my ear. I scowled.

"Nope. You just smell bad." He let go to check, and I took my opportunity and ran to my broomstick.

"Hey! Briar!" He called, running after me. I waved back, and winked at him.

"Adieu!"

"Speaking French isn't going to help you when I get back to the Common Room!" He yelled after me when I left. I waved off the threat. What was _he _going to do to _me_?

* * *

><p>I was sitting in my favorite chair by the fireplace, my legs dangling over the arm of it, finishing up the last page of my Transfiguration essay, the last thing I had to do of my homework (Cora had gone ahead and ignored my order and done the rest of my homework for me.), when Fred barged in. I was the only one in there, until he came in. And I was really enjoying it, too.<p>

"Briar." He stated simply, coming over to me.

"Hi. It's nice to see you too." I said sarcastically, writing down the last paragraph to my essay.

"Why'd you run away?"

"Run away? What planet are you from? I got bored."

"'Got bored'? No _girl _gets bored when they're with me."

"Oh really?" I said, rolling up my essay. I stared at him. "You're making me bored right now."

"I'm not trying to entertain you right now."

"Oh, so that was _entertaining me?_ Asking me a bunch of ridiculous questions?"

"I wanted to know more about you."

"Read about me online." I said, getting up from my chair. "The Muggles have this amazing thing called Google. It works rather well."

"Fine. I'll do anything."

That stopped me. "Anything? You seriously want to know about me that much?"

"Yes." I turned towards him to find his face completely serious. "There's something about you that's different. I don't know what it is, but I'm curious. And when I get curious, you can't stop me."

I shrugged. "You want to know more about me? Fine. Go find my diary."

He looked surprised. "You have a diary?"

I smiled. "Nope." I turned again to leave, when he grabbed my arm again. "What is it with you and my arm? Do you have an attachment to it or something?"

"You could call it that." He said, smiling as I watched him lean down in a bow and kiss my hand. "Good night."

"I'm not kissing you."

"You know you want to."

"Will you stop bugging me if I do?"

"Maybe."

"I'll take my chances." I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. He stiffened, and I realized he didn't think I would. I smiled.

"Always expect the unexpected with me."

"No kidding." He replied, staring at me. I couldn't quite make out what he was thinking, so it unnerved me a little. "I'll have to repay the favor."

"Favor?" I scoffed. "I'm trying to get you to leave me alone."

"Well, then you should know that kissing me isn't going to make it any better." He grinned at me and pulled me into a hug, burying his nose in my hair. I pushed him away.

"I'm going to bed. If I wake up, and you start following me, that'll be the last hug you ever have."

He just shrugged. "I'll take my chances."

I sighed as I left him standing in the Common Room. He was like a parasite. Leeching off my soul.

And somehow, I knew I would never get him off.


	4. Our Trip To Hogsmeade

**MaddieInWonderland reporting for duty(;**  
><strong>I'm sorry it took longer than expected for me to write and upload this chapter. I had some serious writer's block, but, thanks to crystallizedflames, I got over it.<strong>  
><strong>So please, enjoy your time in the world of the Sterling Twins.<strong>

**Note: This chapter is written fro George's point of view…In case that makes a difference in your life…**

**Disclaimer: Unless J.K. Rowling, for some odd reason, wants to give a complete stranger the rights to Harry Potter…I'm pretty sure I don't own Harry Potter.**

_Our Trip To Hogsmeade_

"Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa…back up…she KISSED you?"

"Yeah. I cant believe she actually did it." Fred smiled a bit. "It was just a small kiss on the cheek, but still."

"I don't believe it either…I mean, seriously. Who would want to kiss you?"

"Shut up George…"

"Sorry, sorry…I couldn't resist. But what I don't get is that this girl HATED you the other day…and then she kisses you. Is she mental?"

"There's a possibility." A girl's voice spoke from behind me.

Its Cora.

"You know," she said, "If you want to talk about personal stuff…you probably shouldn't do it in a public and moderately crowded place, considering that there's a very high chance of people hearing you."

I receive a death glare from Fred.

"Sorry," I said to Fred, "but you brought it up."

Cora's soft laugh distracts me and Fred from our bickering.

"You two amuse me." She said, still laughing.

"Oh we do, do we?" Fred and I say at the same time.

She laughs again. God, I love that laugh.

"Well, anyway, the reason I came over here is to ask you two something." She said.

"Alright, ask." Fred says.

"So, Briar and I were planning on going to Hogsmeade on Saturday and we were wondering is you two would want to come with us."

Fred and I share a glance.

"Sure." We answer simultaneously.

"Cool," she smiles, "I'll give you the details, like what time and where to meet, later."

She turns and walks away.

"Hey." Fred whispers once she's out of hearing distance.

"What?" I respond.

"Remember how you kept going on and on about how you want to ask Cora if she'd come home with you for winter break?"

"Yeah. What about it?"

"Hogsmeade would be the perfect place to ask her. White snow, cold weather…which means holding her if she gets cold." He nudges me.

"Okay…but what about her sister? We can't just ditch her…"

"I'll pull Briar aside in Potions or something and tell her what you're planning. Then I'll tell her not to say anything about it to Cora and, if Cora says yes, she could come too, if she wanted."

"Alright. Now all there's left to do is to wait until Saturday."

* * *

><p>Finally! Its Saturday! Geez, those were the longest 3 days of my life…<p>

"Okay, they said to meet them in the Courtyard at noon. What time is it now?" Fred asks.

"Its…" I pause to check the clock, "11:54."

"We should probably leave now. Don't want to keep your lover waiting, now do we?" Fred teases.

"Shut up…" I mumble as I head for the door.

Fred follows as we walk down the corridor, but stops suddenly. I turn towards him.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

"Nothing." He responds, "I cant go to Hogsmeade though. I just remembered that I need to...go do something. See ya." He sprinted away, leaving me. I sighed but decided to go to Cora without him.

"Hey." I say to Cora as I walk into the Courtyard.

"Hi." She says and smiles. "Oh…and sorry but Briar couldn't come. She didn't feel too well."

"Its okay, neither could Fred. He had to go do something."

"That's okay. So, I guess its just us, then."

"Yep."

"Okay, then. Lets go."

* * *

><p>**In Hogsmeade**<p>

"So, what do you want to do?" Cora asks.

"Whatever you want to do." I answer.

"Well, I kinda wanted to go to Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop…but I wasn't sure if you would-"

"Let's go." I take her hand and lead her there.

We walk trough the door of the tea shop and a small bell rings, announcing our arrival. We take a seat and Cora order's a small cup of tea, while I order a cup of coffee.

"So far, I think our relationship…uhm, friendship…has been a little unfair." She says, taking a sip of her tea.

"How could it possibly be unfair?" I ask.

"Well, you know everything there is to know about me, and yet I know close to nothing about you."

"Okay, then, what do you want to know?"

"Everything."

"Well, we might be in Hogsmeade for a while, then." I smile and wink at her. Her face turns a light pink and she stutters a little when she speaks.

"Uhm…so…w-when's your birthday?" she asks.

"April 1st."

"What's your favorite animal?" She recovered from her nerves.

"Coyote. It also happens to be my patronus."

"Cool. So, what's your favorite subject at Hogwarts?"

"Charms."

"Really? Me too."

Questions like this continued until we decided to walk around Hogsmeade instead of just sitting in a tea shop.

As we walk around frostbitten-Hogsmeade, I notice Cora shivering. It wasn't serious shivering, but it was enough to be noticed.

"Are you cold?" I ask.

"No…I'm fine…" she answers.

I sigh.

"Liar." I say and wrap my arms around her, pulling her close to me.

After about a minute or two of holding her, her shivering ceases. She looks up at me and smiles.

"Thanks." She says, then tries to escape my hug.

"Wait." I say, "I'm not done yet."

She stops struggling, smiles, and rests her head on my chest.

I don't know how much time passed but I honestly don't care. All I know is that I'm holding Coralie and I'm going to enjoy this for as long as I can. A few minutes, or possibly a half an hour, later, I decided this was a good time to ask her.

"Coralie?" I ask.

"Mmmhm?" she mumbles.

"I've been meaning to ask you something."

"Okay. Ask away."

"How would you like to come home with me for Christmas?"

She looks up at me and smiles.

"I'd love to." She answers.

I smile back at her and hug her a little tighter.

I can't hold back. I've been wanting to do this for a while, so I just do it. I lean in close and press my lips to hers.

She seemed surprised at first, but after a moment, she lifts her hands and cups my face, responding to the kiss.

The kiss was slow and sweet. Innocent, even. Yet, at the same time, it was full of emotion and passion.

When she pulled away, I must have looked sad (because, honestly, what guy wouldn't be sad if a girl this amazing just broke the best kiss in the world?) because she smiled, rolled her eyes and planted a small kiss on my lips one last time, then spoke.

"So much for the whole 'friendship' thing I mentioned earlier, huh?"

I laughed and agreed.

Though I didn't want today to end, there was no doubt that it was getting late, so I slipped my hand in hers and we headed back to Hogwarts.


	5. Briar RoseThat's A Princess, Right?

**HOLA! No, I can't speak Spanish. Quite the opposite really. So yeah….**

**I made this chapter SUPER LONG because of the fact that it's coming out REALLLYYY late. So sorry. My birthday was/is coming up.**

**CHAPTER…5! This is CHAPTER 5! **

**I can count. No need to get the mental doctor. I already have one. On-call, too. Isn't technology nice?**

**Disclaimer: I met a guy who I named Fred Fancypants because I was too lazy to ask him what his real name was…..guess where the Fred came from? BINGO. Do you want a cookie? Cuz you aren't getting one….If I owned this, do you really think I would name random guys 'Fred'?**

_Briar Rose…That's A Princess, Right?_

After abandoning George on his 'date-with-Cora-that-he's-too-stupid-to-realize-is-a-date-so-I-hope-he-at-least-gets-some-snogging-out-of-it', I raced down the hallway as fast as I could, heading back to the Common Room to find Briar. Something had just popped into my mind, and I _needed _to ask her about it.

After searching the Common Room, which she wasn't in, I checked the Great Hall, the library, the Room of Requirement, even the kitchens. She wasn't anywhere.

Then it hit me. Where had I first met her?

Once I had gotten to the hallway of abandoned classrooms, I checked each room, but I didn't see anything until the last one.

Briar was there, practicing. But it wasn't dance. It was gymnastics. She had this rubber ball, and kept bouncing it in time as she did all sorts of gymnastic-y moves that I didn't know. She hadn't noticed me yet, so I just sat and watched her for awhile.

As much as I didn't like her all that much, she was frikkin' _addicting._

"You're like a drug." I said out loud, then realized I had, and shoved my fist in my mouth.

Too late. She heard.

Briar whirled around, holding the ball menacingly in her hands. Then she saw me and shrugged. "Oh. It's you." Then went back to practicing.

Personally, I was offended. I mean, I could freakin' 'AVADA KEDAVRA!' her and she's acting like me being there is no big deal. I'M CONSIDERED ONE OF HOGWARTS' MOST WANTED. She CANNOT, I repeat, CAN. NOT. Get away with that.

I stalked over to her. "Briar. Rose. Sterling."

She stopped again and faced me. "Is this important? I haven't practiced for two days, and my gymnastics meet is coming up. My coach is gonna kill me if I don't get this down."

"Yes, it is important."

"Fine. What is it?"

"Isn't Briar Rose a princess?"

She glared at me and started bouncing the ball again. Her dark shirt started falling even more off her shoulders, and I had the itchy feeling to want to fix it.

"Seriously, Briar. Why don't you act more princess-like if you were _named _after a Muggle princess?"

She held the ball in one hand above her head and raised her right leg up off the ground. "Because. Why anyone would want to wait for some guy to kiss them and marry them astounds me. I'd rather be the one fighting the dragon, not some creepy knight in shining armor."

"Good point."

"Can you leave now? I'm in the middle of practice, and you're distracting me."

"I'm distracting?" I smiled smugly and leaned against the door. She huffed and kept playing with her rubber ball.

"You know what I mean."

"So….you think I'm hot?"

She sighed. "Yes, Fred. I think you're so amazingly hot and I just want to snog you so badly right now because of the way your sweater vest is tucked into your pants and how much I want to run my hands through your stupid ginger hair and live with you for the rest of my life."

"Really? 'Cuz, I can make that happen…"

At that she threw the ball at me and hit me square in the cheek.

"OW!"

She sighed again and walked over to pick up the ball. Glancing at me, I could see she was having an internal debate about whether or not to see if I was ok. The angelic side probably won, because she put her fingers to my cheek.

"Does this hurt?"

"No."

"Good." Then she slapped me.

"OW!"

Her angelic side was pretty devilish….

"You asked for it. Staring at me with those ogling eyes. Just because I'm wearing a leotard does not make me another of your one-night-stands, Fred Weasley."

In all truth, I hadn't realized she was wearing one. I mean, I assumed, but I hadn't really, like, actually _looked _at her. I tried to continue not to, but my brain kept picking up details, which was making it _really _hard.

_She has nice legs…_

"Fred?"

_Her body is like a really small hourglass…_

"Fred."

_I wonder if her legs are as soft as they look…_

What? I'm a teenage guy. Don't tell me _not _to think those things.

"FRED."

I woke from my stupor. "What?"

Briar huffed impatiently, her platinum hair falling in her face. "You said you had something important to ask me, and I really doubt it was the question about me being a princess."

I nodded. "Yeah. Actually, George should be asking Cora right now…"

"Asking what?"

"Asking about whether she wanted to go home with us for the holidays."

"Oh. That sounds nice." She turned back around and started bouncing the ball, stepping in and around it as she did.

"And..I, um, I…" I cleared my throat. Why was this so hard? "I wanted to know if…"

"If what?" She stopped and turned towards me again.

"If you would go home with us, too." I whispered. Her eyes widened.

"But you hate me."

I glared at her. "Don't make this harder."

"Fine. But I'm only going for Cora." She went back to practicing.

"Why just Cora?"

"Because George will probably molest her, or something."

"George would NOT molest her…"

She smiled. Again, I realized how pretty she was when she smiled. _Stop it, Fred. STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT. _

"You say that with a question mark on the end."

I smiled seductively at her, then wrapped my arms around her tiny waist, stopping her from practicing more. "You should be more worried about what _I _would do to _you._"

She snorted. "Not really." Then she removed herself from my arms, and grabbed her ball.

"Where are you going?"

"Somewhere else. I'm obviously not going to get ANY practice with you around."

"It's 'cuz I'm hot, right?"

"We've been through this already." She said with a laugh as she left.

"I'm sorry, but I only recall the part of you confessing your undying love and wish to snog me."

"You wish, ginger. Now leave me alone."

"What'll you do if I don't?"

"This." Then she Petrified me. She waved as she walked away, and I felt myself inwardly smile a bit. The spell would wear off soon, but not soon enough for me to follow her. Smart cookie, she was.

I couldn't wait for Christmas break.

* * *

><p><em>(Day before Christmas Break) <em>

"Fred!" Cora waved at me in the hallway. I smiled and waved back.

"Hey Cora! What's up?"

"I was wondering if you'd seen Briar. She disappeared a while ago, and I can't find her anywhere. I'd go searching for her on broom, but I'm possibly the worst flyer in history." She chuckled slightly at herself.

I frowned. "No, I haven't seen her. I can go look for you, though. Go upstairs and pack. I'll meet you there with Briar soon."

She smiled at me. "Thanks so much Fred!" Then she gave me a peck on the cheek.

It shouldn't have been any different from Briar's. I mean, I didn't even _like _Briar all that much, so hers should've felt even better.

But it didn't, for some reason. I actually preferred Briar's kiss to hers. I didn't like the feeling I was getting.

I shrugged it off, though. Briar was lost, and I promised Cora I would find her. Especially since Briar should be packing for tomorrow.

I grabbed my broom quickly from its place in the boys' dormitory and ran outside, jumping on it as I did. I flew all around the courtyard, with no platinum-blonde, sarcastic girl in sight. I flew through the Forbidden Forest, and by Hagrid's Hut. Nothing.

Why was it that whenever I wanted her, I could never find her?

I searched by the lake, as a last resort, because it was freezing outside and snowing, and no person in their right mind would be next to the lake at this time in the morning.

But Briar apparently didn't have all the screws tied in too tight, because there she sat, huddled in her Gryffindor scarf and leaning against a large tree. As I got closer, I saw that she was drawing something in the air with her wand. They looked like words.

I touched down a little bit away from her, and walked the rest of the way.

"Aren't you cold?"

I could see that my voice shocked her a bit, because she jumped, and quickly blew the words away, sealing them into what looked like an air envelope, and sending it away into the cloud-covered sky.

"Why is it never a 'Hey, Briar!' or 'How are you today, Briar?' with you?" She asked, leaning her head against the frost covered tree.

I laughed. "Because formalities are for Muggles."

"That's fabulous. I'm going to a household with no manners for the holidays."

"I never said that my family didn't practice them. It's just me." I said, sitting down next to her. I saw her shiver a bit as a cold wind blew on us. "Are you cold?" I asked again.

She shook her head. "Nope. What ever gave you the idea that I was?"

"Because you're shivering, idiot." I pulled her into me, and started rubbing my glove-clad hand on her arm.

"I'm not shivering." She tried to push me away, but I just hung on to her tighter.

"Yes, you are."

"No, I'm not."

"Why are you always like this?" I burst out, immediately wishing I hadn't said it.

"Always like what?"

"Like this! All independent and stuff. 'I'm not shivering.' 'I can do it myself.' 'I'm not afraid of anything.'" I said, mimicking her. She scowled at me.

"I never said the last two."

"Yeah, well you implied them! Briar, you need to depend on people. It's a thing everyone does. Why can't you do it too?"

She glared at me. "You'll never know." She pushed away from me, and turned away.

"Why can't you tell me then? I can't help if I never know."

"I don't want to."

"So, you're just going to sit there and be by yourself your whole life? Is _that _what you're going to do?"

"Yes. It is." She was serious.

"Why, Briar? Why can't you tell me anything, let me help with anything? What is so focused on in your mind that you can't DEPEND on people when they WANT you to!" I was almost screaming at her now.

"BECAUSE!" She yelled back, facing me. I was shocked to see tears falling down her face. "I'VE DONE IT ALMOST MY WHOLE LIFE! I DON'T _NEED_ ANYBODY! NOT YOU, NOT GEORGE, NOT ANYONE! I'VE DONE EVERYTHING BY MYSELF SO FAR, AND I'VE BEEN JUST FINE! SO JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!" She got up, and ran as fast as she could away from me and towards Hogwarts.

I got up, about to go after her, then stopped. She probably needed time alone, and frankly, I was a little unnerved. I had never made a girl cry. _Never._ It made me feel horrible inside. I got back on my broomstick, and flew to tell Cora that yes, I had found Briar, and no, she would not be meeting up with us.

* * *

><p>Needless to say, the train ride home was…tense. Briar wouldn't look at me, and just gazed out the window half the time, a device called an iPod, as Cora told me, plugged into her ears. Cora and George sat on one side of the compartment, their eyes always glancing at one another, and I knew what had happened between them at Hogsmeade.<p>

Which left me to sit next to Briar.

George and Cora left at some point, (probably to go snog in the corner) and I fell asleep, leaning my head on Briar's shoulder. I woke up on the floor of the train. I glared at Briar. She must've felt my heat-searing-death-ray-to-the-heart-glare, but she didn't show it.

George and Cora came back in, holding hands, and were soon talking with each other, leaving me out of it.

"I'll be back." I said, throwing open the compartment door and slamming it behind me. I doubt any of them noticed.

I came back holding my robes under my arm and wearing my normal clothes of skinny jeans and a black and red plaid button-up shirt over a black t-shirt. My plaid shirt I left open, and mainly because I knew for a fact that this combination made every girl swoon, because I saw them do it. Opening the door, I saw that George and Cora had left, and Briar was again leaning against the window and listening to her iPod. She, too, had changed into normal clothes.

The difference was, she looked frikkin' _hot. _

She was wearing a pale blue off-the-shoulder, long-sleeved shirt that fit her body perfectly, and skinny jeans. Lace-up, knee-high boots decorated her legs, and she had her hair down and wavy on her back. I almost regretted having a fight with her. Except, that, I was supposed to hate her as much as she hated me, so this really shouldn't have been bothering me right now.

But it was. And now I _really really REALLLY _wasn't liking where my feelings were going, because I knew where it led to.

I sighed, and sat down across from her. She looked up from her music, saw me, then glanced back down. I saw the glint of silver from the pair of hoop earrings she was wearing. "What are you listening to?" I asked. The silence was killing me.

"'Love Me Dead' by Ludo. I'm thinking about it for my gymnastics floor routine." She hesitated for a second, then took out an earbud. "Wanna listen?"

I nodded. "Sure."

After hearing it, I started laughing. She glanced at me, confused. "What?"

"'She moves through moonbeams slowly'? Seriously? And what's up with the 'I hate you, I love you' thing going on? Weird song choice if you ask me."

She stuck her tongue out. "Well, I like it."

"You are so not a princess."

"Sorry that I'm not wearing a puffy pink dress with glitter puked all over it. Would you rather that instead of this?" She stroke a pose, and stuck her tongue out again. I started laughing again.

The bad thing was that even though she meant it to look ridiculous, she looked even hotter. I was getting really scared of what was happening to me now.

"We okay?" I asked, smiling hopefully at her.

She huffed. "We were okay the second we got on the train."

"Then why were you ignoring me the whole time?"

"My music is on full blast. You really think I'm going to pay attention to you when I can have…" She scrolled through her list of songs, then showed me one. "'Barbie Girl' playing?"

I didn't even know what the heck the song sounded like, but the name was enough to start me cracking up again. "Then what was with the knocking me to the floor when I was sleeping?"

She shrugged. "I didn't do that. You fell off yourself. You snore by the way. Pretty loudly too. And why were you saying my name in your sleep?"

I started stuttering. "Well, that's…umm…I mean…"

She smiled. "I'm kidding. You don't snore, and you didn't say my name in your sleep. Although, why you kept smelling my hair was a mystery to me."

I raised an eyebrow at her. "You're kidding."

"Nope. What do I smell like, by the way?"

I remembered the smell of something dark and secretive in my dream. Probably her. "Vanilla."

"Really?"

"I hate vanilla."

"That's nice. And I know for a fact that I don't smell like vanilla, because right now I'm wearing something by Michael Kors."

"Who's that?"

"Muggle." She sighed, and put her earphones back in. I kept staring at her as she drifted back into her music dreamland. She caught me at one point and smiled. I heard rock music coming out of her earbuds, and she head-banged to it, her long hair flying all around her. I smiled back. I was glad that she wasn't mad. I didn't mean to blow up at her.

It was like she kept telling me; she wasn't anything like a princess.

* * *

><p>"George! Fred! Ron! Percy!" Mom bustled around us, asking the four of us how our school year went and all that great 'mom' stuff. Then she saw Cora and Briar. A smile literally exploded over her face.<p>

"You must be Briar and Cora Sterling! It's so nice to finally meet you! George and Fred have talked nonstop about you two every time they write. I'm so glad you could join us for Christmas! I have to go get the sleeping arrangements, so I'll be right back. One second!" She bustled off to the kitchen, leaving Cora and Briar to stare at us with arms crossed and smirks on their faces.

"You wrote about us?" Cora said, glancing specifically at George, whose face turned red.

"And talked nonstop?" Briar smirked at me, and I glared at her. "Didn't know we were so interesting."

Ron laughed. George and I both shot him a look to shut up.

Mom came back in from the kitchen. "Here it is!" She waved around a slip of paper. "Alright, so, Percy and Ron, you both are just keeping your rooms, but George, you'll be sharing the spare room with Cora, and Fred, you'll be sharing your own with Briar."

I saw the look of utter horror on Briar's face, the complete opposite of her sister's overjoyed one. "Why do we have to room with them, Ms. Weasley?" She asked politely, although I could see how un-polite she really wanted to be.

Mom looked shocked. "Well, you two are their girlfriends, right?" Then she glared at George and I. "But if there's any funny business, you two are dead." Then she left us again. Cora giggled, and grabbed George's arm.

"You told her I'm your _girlfriend?_" Cora smiled as George began to stutter.

Briar, on the other hand, was glaring at me with so much hate that I swear, if looks could kill, I'd probably already been murdered, slaughtered, assassinated, and hung at _least _82 times.

"_You told her I'm your __**girlfriend?**__" _Briar's sentence was identically to Cora's, all except for the emotion in the words. While Cora sounded genuinely happy, Briar sounded like she was the Godfather of a mafia and somebody left a spot of blood on the floor of their last job.

"Look, it's not like _I'm _happy with the arrangements either." I scowled at Briar. "Mom just assumed that since Cora was George's girlfriend, that you were mine since you're both twins. Not my fault."

Briar continued to glare at me for about a minute, then stopped suddenly. "Fred? Where's your room?"

_You're in dark waters, Fred. Move cautiously. _"Upstairs, third floor. Why?"

"I need to move my things." She took out her wand, and waved it over her things. "_no dolor._"

Her trunk and other bags lifted from their spots on the ground, and whooshed upstairs, no doubt settling down in my room. The spell she had used was one that I'd never heard of before.

"Nice, Briar! You finally got that one down!" Cora smiled at Briar, who smiled back.

"I know! I'm so glad I did. I wouldn't want to carry them all the way up there."

"You do know that _I _would've carried them for you, right?" I said, looking at her.

She looked at me. "You seriously might've broken your back if you had tried."

"Thanks for the concern."

"You're welcome!" She answered cheerily, then went upstairs. "I'm going to go put things away."

"Alright!" Cora waved as she left, then glanced at me. I gave her a look. "Sorry. Briar's slightly bipolar. I swear she isn't planning anything."

"It's Briar. She's _always _planning something." I answered, then started going upstairs.

"Funny." I heard George say. "That's what people say about us."

* * *

><p>"Briar?" I walked cautiously into my room. "Briar? Are you here? I came to help you unpack."<p>

"I'm in your bathroom."

"What?"

"Just come in." She threw open the door, and I saw her putting away things like make-up and brushes into the drawers. She caught me looking. "Your mom said it was okay for me to do this. Apparently, we're also sharing a bathroom."

I ran my fingers through my hair. "Great."

"That's what I said." She tried to get out of the bathroom, but I was blocking the way. "Can you move?"

I smirked at her. It was nice that I was at least five inches taller than her. "Nope."

"Why not?"

"Because I want you all to myself." I shoved her up against the wall of the bathroom and put my face right next to hers.

She didn't blush. Not one inch of red crossed her face. It just went to show how much she obviously hated me. Her calculating dark blue eyes regarded mine. "You must be joking."

"I'm really not." I smiled, and leaned down, kissing her nose. She shoved me off of her.

"Seriously. Now move. I still have my wand, you know."

Needless to say, I got out of her way. She left with a huff, and started unpacking.

"Do you need any help?"

"Nope."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

I knelt down beside her as she gazed around my (and George's) room. "There's only one bed." She pointed out.

I shrugged. "I'll sleep on the floor."

"You don't need to do that. I'll sleep on the floor." Then she paused, and smiled evilly at me. "Wait." She held up a hand. "You and George share a _bed?_"

I scowled at her. "What? We're both used to body heat, and we've been sleeping next to each other since we were born. Don't you and Cora do that?"

She snorted. "No. I had to move into my mom's-" She stopped suddenly, her face going void of any emotion. "Well, I had to move."

"Oh." I figured it was best not to mention the 'mom' thing. She didn't want to tell me, I wasn't going to make her.

We sat in silence for a bit, her putting her clothes and other things away in some of my empty drawers, and me laying out a blanket and pillow that I could sleep on. She noticed me doing it, and stopped putting things away.

"I hope you aren't going to sleep there."

"Well, _you_ certainly aren't."

"_I _certainly will."

"No, you aren't."

"When the heck did you become so gentlemanly?"

"When you decided to sleep on the floor."

"Well, I'm going to, and there's nothing you can do to stop me." She went and plopped herself down on the blanket, laying down on it with her head on the pillow.

"Fine."

"Good." She turned away, but I swear I saw her give herself a victory smile.

* * *

><p>"So, Briar, how long have you and Fred been dating?" Mum asked Briar as we sat down to eat her chicken-and-pasta dinner. Briar froze in the middle of taking a bite of pasta. I quickly decided to save her from embarrassing herself.<p>

"Oh, we started a month ago, when she got transferred to my Potions class." I cut in, glancing at Briar to play along. She nodded, thankfully. The common goal both of us shared was keeping Cora and George together, which we had decided on while she was unpacking and I was watching her unpack. Even if we disliked each other, George and Cora were more important.

"That's wonderful! Has he been good to you Briar?"

"Just lovely." Briar answered, then quickly changed the topic. "So, Ron, how's Harry? I haven't seen him for awhile."

"He's good. Stayed at Hogwarts for Christmas this year. I felt a bit bad for him, so I asked if he wanted to come home with us, but he said no."

"Oh. That's a shame." Cora responded from where she and George sat. Across the table from Briar and I.

Apparently, Mum thought it was cute when couples sat next to each other. Maybe for Cora and George, but Briar and I sat on the opposite edges of our chairs, as far away from each other as possible.

"It really was. But Hermione was with him, so he shouldn't be too bored." Ron smiled at us, his mouth full of chicken.

"That's good…" I started.

"But aren't you a bit worried about him?" George finished, glancing at me. We both smirked at Ron, who was turning beet red.

"Wh-Whatd'ya mean?"

"Oh, you know…" I said, leaning forward with my chin resting on my hand.

"They're _together,_ at _Hogwarts-_"

"_Alone _in the _Common Room._"

"It just makes you wonder…" George said.

"What they're doing…" I finished, glancing at Ron's even redder face.

"Would you two stop bothering him?" Briar said, pushing out her chair and going to give Ron a hug. "He never did anything to you."

"Just the fact that he's an easy target is enough." I pointed out. She glared at me.

"Briar's right, George," Mum said.

"I'm Fred…" I mumbled, but she didn't hear.

"Hey Briar," We all glanced at Cora, but I have a feeling only Briar and I noticed the suspicious glint in her eyes. "Why don't you ever hug Fred that way?"

Briar didn't even break a sweat. "I'm not very touchy-feely."

"Then why'd you hug Ron?"

She shrugged. "Because he was getting teased."

George came in at this point. Apparently, he knew what Cora was doing. "You always tease Fred. Why don't you ever hug _him _afterwards?"

I was getting tired of this 'Why don't you hug Fred?' business, so I went over to Briar, and wrapped my arms around her waist. She tensed up, but I whispered "Don't." and she relaxed immediately.

Funny how her body fit perfectly into mine even though we hated each other.

"There. Happy?" I said, glaring at the two. They just looked at each other and smiled.

"But Briar didn't hug you. You hugged _her._" Cora pointed out. Briar sighed. Then she twisted around in my arms and wrapped her arms around my neck, bringing me close. I could smell her scent, that really mysterious, secretive one.

"See? We're okay." Briar glared at them, trying to let them know we were doing this for _their _sake, not ours. She unwrapped herself out of my arms, and I felt strangely disappointed and cold. Her body warmth was ten times George's.

Then she left for our room, and when I went to go check on her, she was sleeping soundly, her pale hair spread across her pillow. She looked like an angel.

* * *

><p>"Bloody." I muttered. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't fall asleep. I could always fall asleep in the dorms at Hogwarts because George was always in the bed next to mine. But now that he was two floors above me, I just couldn't do it.<p>

I glanced over at Briar, who was perfectly asleep underneath her covers on the floor. An idea popped into my head, but I dismissed it almost immediately. It's not like she would let me.

I stared at the ceiling for awhile, then glanced at the clock. 2:30. In the morning.

Fantastic.

I resisted the idea that had gotten into my head, but soon just let it overflow my brain a little. I mean, she was asleep, right? So, she won't care, right? I'll just wake up before her.

Problem solved.

The idea was now fixed into my mind, and I couldn't get it out, so I just decided to do it. It _was _virtually foolproof.

So I quietly got out of my bed, and tip-toed over to Briar's. I got under the covers with her, and snuggled in.

She was so _warm._ I got closer to her, and soon, her head was resting against my bare chest. I felt her move a bit, and got scared that she was going to wake up, but instead, she just wrapped her arms around me, and snuggled in to my chest even more.

I did a mental shrug. _Works for me. _

I fell asleep almost as soon as I had closed my eyes.

* * *

><p>I slowly opened my eyes the next morning to find that Briar and I had shifted so much in our sleep that our legs were tangled together, her hair was splattered across my chest, and her face was about an inch away from mine.<p>

My breathing almost stopped when her eyes began to open too. With her crazy hair and distant dark blue orbs for eyes, she looked like she had just been released from the mental hospital.

I was expecting to be yelled at, or shoved off, or at least kicked, but instead of any of that (which I would've been fine with), she just gave me a woozy smile, kissed me on the cheek, and fell back asleep on my chest.

Which I was definitely NOT fine with.

But I fell asleep anyways again. She was just so bloody warm.

* * *

><p>I almost fell down the stairs, I was so groggy from waking up, pulling a green long-sleeved shirt over my head as I did. Briar hadn't been with me when I had woken up, and I was frankly a little worried.<p>

"Have you guys seen Briar?" I asked, as I entered the kitchen, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. Cora stood around the stove, apparently cooking eggs, and George was trying to make toast. It wasn't working out too well.

"George, I don't think toast is supposed to look like a ball of coal…"

"Shut up, Fred."

"What did you say about Briar?" Cora asked, flipping an egg like a pro.

"Oh, right. Um, I was wondering if you'd seen her? She wasn't in the room when I woke up." I 'forgot' to mention that we had, in fact, shared a bed.

"Oh. Briar. Right." Cora turned away and started on the next egg. Her once happy demeanor had gone from exactly that, to horribly downcast in the matter of a few seconds.

"Where is she?" I asked again. Cora glanced up as if in a daze.

"Briar? Oh, she's…she's…exactly where she ought to be." Then she went back to making eggs.

I sighed. "Thanks. That helped _so much._"

She gave me a confused glance, then her eyes lit up a bit. "Fred, what day is it today?"

"The day before the day before the day before the day before the day before Christmas?" I answered back.

George shook his head. "It's December 20th, Cora."

She nodded. "Good." Then she glanced at her wrist. Her eyebrows furrowed. "Dam. I was supposed to meet her an hour ago." Cora ran out of the kitchen, and was soon out the door. Gone.

"You know what the funny thing is?" I told George, who just stared at the door in shock.

"What?"

"She wasn't even wearing a watch."

* * *

><p>When Cora finally came back, it was 5 o'clock. George was pretty pissed.<p>

"CORA. WHERE. THE. BLOODY. HELL. WERE. YOU." He glared at her as she hung her scarf on the coat hanger. She sighed.

"Do I have to tell you?"

I sat down on the couch, and pointed to the chair across from it. "Yes."

Cora went to sit, then stopped. She glared at me. "Wait, _why _do I have to tell you?"

George and I grinned evilly. "_We can do things that will make you wish you had never been born." _

She snorted. "That's nice." But she sat, and clasped her hands. "It's a long story."

George sat next to me. "We've got the rest of the night."

She sighed again. "Ok, but just don't tell Briar I told you."

I crossed my heart. "Scout's Honor."

She gave me an amused glance. "That's 'Cross my heart, hope to die', not 'Scout's Honor.'"

I shrugged. "Same difference."

She shook her head, but started anyways. "It happened when Briar and I were around eight. We were playing in our mother's laboratory below the house. She was an amazing Charms master, and was always inventing new spells, which is why I'm so good at it myself. But that day, something happened. Her wand had been getting worn and old, and didn't work as well as it used to. She didn't realize that, though, and cast a particularly strong spell, a protection spell that could be used to protect other people from harm. She cast it on Briar and I, who just sat and watched her. But even though the spell worked, the shock of it split our mother's wand in two, releasing all of its magical energy. It was enough to kill our mother, and destroyed our house."

"What happened to you two?" George asked.

I gave him a look that read 'You-are-seriously-the-bloodiest-idiot-I've-ever-met,' then turned to Cora. "And your dad. What happened to him?"

Cora glared at us. "Don't interrupt my story. So anyways, since the protection shield had worked, Briar and I hadn't been harmed, and since our father was at work, he wasn't hit by the energy either. But while it did take me awhile to accept that our mother was dead, I didn't change all that much. But Briar was closest to our mother, so she was hit the hardest. She used to be completely open, and would share whatever was on her mind at any time. She was probably the sweetest person you would ever meet. But after that happened, she became closed off, except for me and our father. She wouldn't talk to any of the neighborhood kids, which just made the boys in the area like her more. She used sarcasm to cover up her hurt, and normally it worked. No one could tell the difference. She's kept some of her original attributes. She's worked harder than ever at gymnastics, so she's a pro now. Sometimes, I wish she would get more involved with stuff. Boys, even."

"But she told me that she had dated before and kissed a boy before." I felt my face turn slightly red as George and Cora looked at me. "Don't ask how I know that."

Cora shrugged. "She did date a muggle named Jasper, but he hurt her really badly. Turns out, he was cheating on her. So, she's sort of even more guarded around guys." She gave me a sad look. I glared at her. _I didn't like Briar. I didn't like Briar. I DIDN'T like Briar…._

"So, how does this work with you being gone for the whole day?" George asked.

"Today is the anniversary of her death." Cora stated simply. George and I went pale and started muttering apologies. Cora held up a hand.

"It's ok. Every year, Briar and I go visit. Briar stays the whole day, from 7 in the morning to whatever time late at night. I visit for half that time, but mainly because I have to finish the things at home. I came home later tonight because I'm not needed for chores and such."

"So…when does Briar come home?" I asked.

Cora shrugged. "No idea. All I know is that normally, the next morning, she sleeps in 'till like, one, which is like hibernation for her."

George nodded. "Well, after that wonderful story, I'm sure you're hungry Cora."

She shook her head. "Not really. I'm…just….tired…" Cora fell over, and George rushed to catch her.

He laughed. "I guess so." Then he looked at me. "I'm gonna take her upstairs. You can do whatever."

I shrugged. "Cool. So, you're ok if I burn the house down?"

George glared. "I thought we decided to do that _after _they left?"

I nodded. "The Amazing Fake-Flame Rockets?"

He smiled. "You know it."

Then he left to take Cora to bed, and I went to wait for Briar.

* * *

><p>She finally came home at 4 in the morning. I was in her bed, about to fall asleep, when I heard the door creak open. I waited for her to get in the bed, but she changed first. I realized she wasn't in the bathroom, but, in fact, right behind me. I shut my eyes tightly and didn't turn.<p>

_Don't look, don't look, don't look, don't look….DON'T LOOK._

I finally felt her crawl under the covers, and the second she did, I grabbed her, throwing my hand over her mouth so she wouldn't scream.

Her eyes went wide when she saw me, but didn't say anything.

"Why are you back so late?"

"Because." She mumbled, dropping her head to the pillow.

"Why can't you tell me?"

She glared at me with sleepy eyes. "Because."

"Briar."

"Fred."

"Please?"

"No."

"Come on, Briar, why can't yo-" I was cut off by her putting her face directly in front of mine and kissing me on the nose.

"Payback." She muttered as she drifted to sleep. I sighed, but held her close the rest of the time. I was soon asleep, me with my arms still around her, and her with her head against my chest.

* * *

><p>Rain was falling softly as Briar and I woke up in the morning. During the night, we had moved around, and now, I was pretty much on top of her.<p>

She glared at me. "Off. Now."

I smirked, tracing her jaw with my finger. "Why? You seemed pretty happy to be cuddled with me last night."

She smirked back. "And if _I _recall, you crawled into bed with me two nights ago. Like a little baby going to his mummy."

I paled. "You-you _saw _that?"

She snorted. "Saw it? I felt it, heard it, and sensed it. I'm a pretty light sleeper when I want to be."

"Great."

"Can you get off now?"

I thought for a second. Hmm. Pretty girl underneath me, or breakfast. I weighed the two options, then glanced down at her, smiling. "Nope."

She sighed exasperatedly. "Why not?"

"Because you're so pretty when you have a bedhead and are trapped underneath me."

"Great reason."

"I pride myself on things like this."

"It's great how we hate each other, and yet you still seem to think it's okay to flirt with me."

"You're single." I shrugged. "Open game for me. Or anyone else for that matter."

"What if I told you I had a boyfriend?"

"You don't."

She glared at me. "Fine. I don't. But I _am _hungry, so if you don't get off of me, I'll eat your face off."

I laughed. "What, like, kissing?" She growled, so I quickly got off of her. She went down to breakfast, and I sat in the room for a bit.

Why was it that when she mentioned that she had a boyfriend, I got scared?

* * *

><p>"Morning." I yawned as I came down into the kitchen to see Cora and George practically making out in the kitchen. Briar was nowhere to be seen.<p>

The two broke apart immediately. Cora blushed and George glared at me. I shrugged at him. "What? I'm hungry." Then I walked to the counter and grabbed a banana. "Please. Continue." And I left.

Those two shared so much spit with each other, it should seriously be illegal.

I went upstairs, back to my room, looking for Briar, because Cora and George were too busy gnawing on each other's faces to talk. I didn't find her.

Again. My luck with finding Briar when I wanted her was slim, so I decided to give up then and there, and lied down on my bed to read a book.

Don't look so shocked. I can read when I want to.

Granted, the book was titled _999 Ways to Annoy People_, but, hey. I was reading _words _on a _page _in a _book._ That in itself should earn me an award.

I don't know how long I was there reading, although I do know that the rain was getting harder and faster. I could hear it banging against the window. It got so loud that I finally got up, and went to close the blinds so that it might muffle the sound a bit. But when I looked out the window, I could make out a small figure lying on the ground on a hill behind our house.

"Briar." I breathed, remembering her telling me that she loved to dance in the rain. I raced out of the room, and passed Cora, who was carrying laundry.

"Where are you going?" She called as I passed by. I didn't even stop to answer. I just continued sprinting, out the door, and through the rain, towards Briar.

"BRIAR!" I yelled as I saw her forsaken form, crumpled up on the ground. I didn't care if she was sleeping; I was going to wake her up no matter what.

I fell on my knees next to her, panting, and turned her face towards mine. I found her pulse, but it beat only faintly. She was unconscious.

I grabbed her in my arms, and carried her back to the Burrow. Her pale skin was even paler than usual, and her platinum hair clung to her skin like it was trying to choke her. The second I got inside, I screamed at the top of my lungs, "BRIAR'S UNCONSCIOUS!" '

Cora arrived seconds after I had yelled. She only had to look once at the girl in my arms and burst into tears. "Briar!" She cried. "Briar! Briar! Briar!"

George came running down soon after. "What happened?" But then he saw Cora crying and glared at me. "What did you do to her?"

"Nothing, I swear. I found Briar outside, knocked out. WHAT DO I DO?"

George was too busy comforting Cora. I sighed, and decided to levitate her to our room. Then, maybe, I could talk some sense into the two lovebirds.

After I had successfully gotten her into our bedroom and onto the actual bed, I lied down next to her, listening to her faint breathing. She had gotten a bit better in the warm room, but not enough to make me stop worrying.

"Mhmm….Cora….Fred…." I heard her mumble. I was beside her like lightning.

"No, no, no, no, Briar! Stay awake! Please!" I said, grabbing her shoulders and shaking them a bit. Her dark blue eyes opened slightly and she gave me a woozy smile.

"S'ok." She muttered. "This happens a laawwtt…" She started to lose consciousness again. It was then that I realized that she had mumbled my name with Cora's.

"Briar, before you fall asleep and forget this whole conversation, do you care about me? Not in the creepy way." I said, glancing down at her. She smiled again at me, and gave a slight nod.

"Uhhuh…" She took my hand and fell back asleep. Cora burst in at that second, crying.

"Briar!"

I glared at her. "She woke up and said that this sort of thing happens a lot."

"So?" Cora mumbled, taking Briar's other hand.

"_So, _why are you acting like it's the first time?"

"Because she's my twin. And if she died because she's stupid enough to dance in the rain, then I'd be heartbroken." Cora gazed at her sister. "She's older than me you know. By one minute."

"That's the same as George and I…"

"I know." She smiled at me. "George told me."

We sat in silence for a while, an all but dead Briar in between us. Cora glanced at Briar's hand clasped in mine, and her eyes sparkled.

"I knew you two would get together eventually."

"No! NO NO NO NO NO. Briar and I are NOT, I repeat, NOT together. We just have a mutual understanding. In reality, she hates me and I hate her." For some reason, I found the last statement not altogether true. I knew because when I looked at Briar, hate didn't consume me like it used to. Apparently, Cora thought so too.

"But you care for her." She smiled at me as she got up. "You know, she's not going to stay with you forever, Fred. She's pretty, and even though she doesn't like guys all that much, there's no doubt that somebody will ask her out. I'd kiss her while you can." Cora closed the door, leaving Briar and I alone.

I thought about her words. "Kiss her while I can, eh?" I glanced down at her sleeping form. Her hair was splayed out on the pillow, and she was curled up slightly. I smiled and wrapped my arms around her, bringing her close to me and kissed her on the forehead. "Goodnight, princess."

Briar woke up the next day and acted like nothing had happened, so that's what I did too. Until the day George and Ron decided to mention the party…

* * *

><p>"Fred! Mum and Dad are leaving for that Ministry Party, and they have to stay there for at least three days! Do you know what that means?" George waggled his eyes at me. I snorted, but smiled anyways.<p>

"You consistently snogging Cora and maybe getting to second base with her?"

"No, but yes, in a way." He shoved me. "It means PPPAAARRRTTTTAAAYYYY at the Weasleys!"

Briar entered at that moment, her eyes droopy from sleep. We had both stopped sleeping next to each other, but sometimes I'd kiss her on the forehead while she was sleeping. It was becoming a (not so incredibly) bad habit of mine.

"What's this about a party?" She asked, sitting on the couch. George and I sat on either side of her.

_"Just something to stir things up."_ We said simultaneously. She scoffed.

"I'm glad I'm not related to you." She got up and went to the kitchen to make breakfast. As soon as she was out of sight, George punched me in the arm, smiling.

"Ow! What was that for?" I said, rubbing the spot he had punched. George shook his head.

"You fancy _Briar?_"

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"NO."

"YES."

"Shut up, will you?" I groaned into my hands. "I don't know why I do, she's nothing but annoying to me, and I'm nothing but annoying to her. It's not like she returns my feelings."

"Then find out at the party." George smiled evilly, then took out a sprig of mistletoe. "Remember these?"

My eyes widened when he showed them to me. "Seriously?"

"I'll place them all over the house. Everyone except us gets sent to the forest."

"You're kidding."

"Would I lie to you?"

"Yes."

"Smart twin. But it'll happen. Trust me." George winked as he got up from the couch.

I had a silent argument over whether this was a good or bad thing.

* * *

><p><em>(Night of the Party) <em>

"Ron, is the food ready?"

"Yep."

"Fred, decorations?"

"Ay okay."

"Good. And I've got the mistletoe. So let's DO THIS THING." George threw the clipboard into the air. Ron and I smiled. If there was a party, George was always at the best. And our parties? The best of the best.

Cora walked down the stairs in a strapless red-and-black dress that fitted to her hips, then poofed out in a black tulle skirt with red feathers dangling around it. The top, fitted part was red and black striped. It brought out her dark hair and eyes, as well as her tanned skin. She wore matching red lipstick, her hair down and wavy on her shoulders. She looked amazing.

"Cora, you look great." I said, turning back towards the streamers. One of them had fallen down. Kind of like George's mouth when he saw Cora.

"C-C-C-C-" He stuttered as she twirled in her party dress.

She laughed. "Cora. Yeah, it's really me. I look fabulous, right?"

I didn't pay attention to George's sweet nothings to Cora about her dress. I was too busy staring at the platinum blonde girl who was just now emerging from the staircase herself.

Her hair was down and wavy, like Cora's, and she was wearing a one-shouldered, white form-fitting dress that went down to just above her mid-thigh. Gold shimmery lines crossed from her left waist line to the right side of her dress. The covered shoulder part of the dress draped down in an angel-sleeve like way, the gold lines falling downwards on it. Her thin pale arms barely showed through the sheer fabric on the arm. Gold hoops adorned her ears, and a pair of gold heels were on her feet.

She glanced at me and smirked. "See something you like?"

I shook my head, smiling. "Naw, but when you see me, I bet you will."

She scoffed. "I hope not. The day I fall for you, Fred Weasley, will also be the day when my feet stop hurting from these killer heels."

I glanced at Cora, who mouthed 'Fingers crossed!' to me. I couldn't help but smile.

Briar grabbed a soda and started sipping it as Cora and George went to go greet the party-goers. I glanced at her, confused.

"I need my caffeine," she stated. "and since there is NO coffee, soda is the best I can do. I'm not really a party person."

I nodded. "Gotcha."

* * *

><p><em>(A couple hours into the party) <em>

As much as Briar obviously didn't want to admit it, she definitely **is **a party person. She was always talking or laughing with someone who I didn't know, and was dancing with some random guy almost every time I saw her when she _wasn't _talking to somebody. I saw her dancing with Dean Thomas, one of Ron's friends, and as jealous as I was, I noticed how she kept slightly away from him, not enough to look suspicious, but just enough so that he couldn't 'accidentally' do something rash to her.

I saw George hanging the mistletoe up, and one couple underneath it, slowly fading away as they made-out. They were going to be transported to a specific section of the forest behind our house, one where George had made specifically for the couples.

The mistletoe reminded me of what I needed to do. So I went around the party, trying to find Briar. It shouldn't have been too hard, I mean, she was the only one wearing a white dress.

But it was like searching for a wand in a bunch of Devil Snare.

I found Cora. But she was too busy eating George's face to answer any questions I might have. In fact, they were disappearing under the mistletoe as I saw them.

I went to the kitchen, and shoved a couple under some mistletoe because their mouth-to-mouth was both depressing and annoying me. It left the kitchen all to myself, so I grabbed a soda, and watched the party from afar by moving out to the deck.

And surprise, surprise. Who was there of all people?

Briar.

She saw me and smiled, wrapping me in a hug. I was….shocked to say the least. "Umm, Briar….why are you hugging me?"

She giggled. "Because you smell nice."

"Huh?" I glanced at the soda that had been sitting on the railing. I bet George had spiked them all. And Briar said she needed caffeine…. "Briar, how many cans of soda have you had?"

She giggled again. "Like, a lot." Keeping her arms around my neck, she leant back a little in my arms. Her eyes were thoughtful. She smiled. "You know, I think I like you."

"What?" I gaped at her.

"I'm going to rephrase that." She stumbled away a bit, but I caught her arm before she could fall. I felt a glow envelop the two of us, and glancing upwards, I saw one of George's enchanted mistletoe.

She looked up, then at me, and gave me the prettiest smile I think I'd ever seen. She wrapped her arms around my neck, and kissed me right on the lips. I was so shocked that I didn't respond for a second, but soon enough, my arms wrapped around her tiny waist, and I returned it with passion.

She didn't know how long I had wanted to do that.

I felt the mistletoe transport us to our bedroom. George had charmed them specifically so that if he or I had gone under it, it would Apparate us to our bedrooms. Briar almost immediately dragged me over to the bed, not stopping the kiss.

She lied down, and I climbed on top of her. Her arms reached up again, pulling me closer. I ran my fingers down from her waist to her legs, tracing patterns as we kissed again and again.

I felt like I was in heaven.

She ran her fingers through my hair, causing a slight moan to emit from my mouth. I got her back by biting her lip every time I pulled back from a kiss. The problem was that _her _moan just made me want to keep going.

I was about to throw off my already unbuttoned shirt, when I realized something. Briar was already pretty tipsy. If we went farther, she would wake up, not remember anything, and think that I had taken advantage of her.

There was nothing that would kill me more if Briar hated me.

So even though Briar's dress was inching up her legs _so much, _and that her shouldered part of her dress was falling down, I stopped kissing her, and got off from on top of her. It took every ounce of my strength, physically and morally, to do that.

I lied down next to her, and she smiled at me, then yawned. "I'm ttttiiirrrrreeeeddddd….." She mumbled.

"What was it that you were going to rephrase before we came here?" I asked, the question suddenly popping up into my mind. She nodded, placing her head on my chest.

"I…was going to say….that….I think…I've fallen for you…." She whispered, her voice growing softer from sleep.

"What?" My eyes widened. She _liked _me?

"My…heels didn't hurt my feet….when I hugged you…." She smiled woozily up at me, then fell asleep.

I sat in silence for a bit. She _had fallen for me? _What? So, did that mean she liked me as much as I liked her?

I glanced down at her sleeping form, admiring the way her hair was strewn across the pillow and my chest. She inhaled and exhaled slowly and quietly. She looked like a sleeping angel.

I leaned over and kissed her sweetly on the lips. "Briar Rose….my beautiful princess…."

I fell asleep soon after, still hearing the _fitting_ last words she had said before I had fallen asleep.

"Don't be an arse, Prince Charming."


	6. This Is How It Goes

M**addieInWonderland here! Before I say anything else I would just like to point out that George and Cora's relationship is NOT all making out. Its more meaningful than that…Fred simply just kept walking in at all the wrong moments. AND misinterpreted it…"Eating each other's faces off"? Really, crytallizedflames? I love you and all, but that's my line…  
>OH, and crystallizedflames, now that I wrote a long chapter, can we PLEASE go back to writing our short-to-medium sized chapters? You have no. Freaking. Idea. How hard it was for me to come up with enough crappy stuff to only make HALF of this chapter…<br>And I would like to apologize to all the readers. I know, I took WAY too long to come up with a chapter…but I had stupid writers block, stupid schoolwork, and no time to write ANYTHING. But, since I'm sick today and had to stay home from school, I decided to finish the chapter! YAY TEMPORARY IMMUNE SYSTEM DEFICIENCY! WOO! Just kidding…it doesn't feel good to be sick…but either way, here's chapter 6.**

**Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter…do you really think I'd be co-writing a Harry Potter fanfiction with someone else who also doesn't own Harry Potter? …I didn't think so…**

**Cora's P.O.V.**

_This Is How It Goes_

Let me just start off with saying that eavesdropping is super fun. I've never gotten caught and I probably never will.

"And then she told me she was falling for me." Fred whispered to George, careful not to wake anyone, considering it is 2 a.m.

As I hear this, I immediately think of running to Briar and asking her about this, but with my experience in discovering things that I shouldn't find out about, I know I should stay a while longer to see if I can hear anything else of use.

Half an hour passes and nothing else useful has been said. The twins finish their conversation and I hear one of them start towards the stairs. I silently sprint up 2 fights of stairs, not even causing a floor board to creak, and into my and George's room, quickly and quietly shutting the door behind me. I change into my black pajama shorts and, as I start to slip on my emerald green tank top, the door opens and George walks in, already in his pajamas, which consists of pajama pants and no shirt. Upon seeing my shirt covering only half of my torso, he blushes and quickly turns around.

"Sorry…" he says.

"Its cool" I say and pull the shirt down over my stomach. "I'm covered now…see?" He peers over his shoulder, checking to make sure I'm not lying.

He turns and walks up to me, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulls me up against him, leaving me trapped.

He smiles and leans his down, pressing his lips to my forehead.

"Ready for bed?" he whispers.

I nod. He slips his hand in mine and walks me up to the bed, crawling in with me. He pulls the blankets up to our shoulders and wraps his arms around me. I curl up against him, nuzzling into his bare chest.

"Good night, my love." He says softly in my ear, causing me to smile to myself.

"Good night." I respond and feel him kiss the top of my head.

And hour after he falls asleep, I quietly slip out of bed and tip toe to Briar and Fred's room I open the door and peek into the dark room. Both Briar and Fred are asleep.

I sneak into the room and stand by Briar, lightly shaking her, trying to wake her up. When she didn't open her eyes, I take off her blankets and pull her out of the bed, catching her just before she hit the ground, and carried her downstairs.

I placed her sleeping body in a chair, and noticed she was still sleeping.

'_Geez…she must be exhausted…I haven't seen her sleep his heavy in a while…_' I think to myself.

I get a cup and fill it with ice cold water and splash it in her face. Her eyes shoot open and her mouth hangs agape, about to let out a shriek. She realizes it's me and slaps her hands over her mouth, restraining the yelp.

"Finally awake, I see." I say, placing the now-empty cup on a table and handing her a towel.

She pats her face dry and lays the towel in her lap, narrowing her eyes at me.

"What do you want to talk to me about?" she asks, realizing why I woke her up at 4 in the morning.

"Do you remember anything about the other night?" I question.

"Uhm…I remember practically getting drunk on soda…" she responds.

"Exactly. And do you remember what you did after drinking all that soda?"

"No…"

"Apparently you told Fred you were falling for him. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm glad you finally admitted to your feelings, because honestly, I always thought you secretly liked him, but I would have much rather you admitted your feelings when you weren't dru-"

Her eyes widened and she cut me off. "I DID WHAT?"

"I was eavesdropping on Fred and George earlier and they were talking about you telling Fred you like him."

Briar gets this disappointed look on her face.

"Coralie Hazel Sterling, how many times do I have to tell you. Eavesdropping is morally wrong." She says, trying to change the subject. As if changing the subject will make it like what she said never happened.

"Who care about morals right now? The point is that you confessed to Fred. I thought you said you didn't want him to know! Now I understand you were high on soda, but still. You. Told. Him! And-"

She interrupts me again.

"Are you SURE I told him?"

"I didn't actually hear you say it," I conjured up a delicate laugh, "I was way too busy snogging George, but, knowing you and when you drink too much soda…I wouldn't be surprised if you did confess."

A frustrated sigh escapes her lips.

"I have to do something to convince him that I don't like him." She says thoughtfully.

"Like what?" I ask, curious.

"I haven't the foggiest notion…but I'll think of something. You'll know what it Is when you see it…if you see it."

"Are you sure you want to push him away, though?" I ask, "He could be a great addition to your life, if only you let him in. He's really sweet, and not to mention funny. And you know he won't do anything you don't want him to do. He's the perfect guy for you."

A few moments of silence pass.

"I'm gonna go to bed. Night, Cora." Briar states and walks upstairs.

I let out a frustrated groan and walk over to a window, gazing at the full moon.

"Cora?" I hear someone whisper my name after a while. "Are you down here?"

I look over my shoulder and see George turn around, seeing me, relief in his eyes.

"Hey." I say.

"You okay, love?" he asks, walking over and placing an arm around my shoulders.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I say, putting on a smile. "Just couldn't sleep."

"I know you're faking that smile." He says, and turns his head to look out the window.

"No I'm not." I try to convince him.

"No use in lying, Cora. I know you too well. I won't push for information, but you know I'm always here for you, no matter the circumstances."

I lean my head on his shoulder and close my eyes.

"Thank you." I whisper.

He kisses the top of my head and pulls me closer.

We stand there for a while, staying silent.

"I'm tired, George…" I finally say, finding it hard to keep my eyes open.

"Lets go to bed then." He says and takes him arm off my shoulders, starting to pull me towards the stairs.

"Wait…" I say quietly, "Carry me…"

He laughs softly and slides an arm around my back and the other arm behind my knees, picking me up wedding-style. I wrap my arms around his neck and he carries me up to our room.

He pushes the door open with his back and places me on the bed, lying down next to me and pulling the blankets over us. Like earlier, he wraps his arms around me and I snuggle into him. He's so warm.

"I love you, Cora." He whispers.

"I love you too, George." I whisper back.

In a matter of minutes, sleep knocks me unconscious, and I fall into a sweet dream of nothing but love.

* * *

><p>I wake up the next morning to an empty bed.<p>

_'George must have gotten up_.' I think to myself.

Since I'm not much of a morning person, I have to forcibly push myself out of bed. I walk to the bathroom, grab my brush, and rip through the tangles snarls in my dark hair.

When I was finally satisfied with my hair, I walked downstairs, only to find the whole Weasley family, as well as my sister, eating breakfast.

"Hey, lazy butt. You're finally up." Fred teases.

"Oh, shush…" I respond. "I'm just a morning person, 'kay?"

"She's right…" Briar chimes in, "She really isn't a morning person."

"Meaning: don't mess with me when I just wake up. You will hurt." I add, sitting down next to George.

George smiles and gives me a quick kiss on the cheek, which is followed by a disgusted noise made by Ginny, Ron, and Briar, and a "Get a room…" by Fred. I roll my eyes and take a bite of my toast.

Everyone finishes breakfast and George pulls me outside.

"Noo…" I complain "I'm still in my pajamas…Can't I at least change before I get forced out of the house?"

"No, you can't." he says, "Besides, you look cute in your pajamas."

"Puh-lease…but where are we going anyway?"

"Oh…somewhere."

He pulls me through a field of plants taller than me, and to a little swamp or marsh or something. It had water and little, tiny islands sticking out of the ankle-deep liquid.

He drags me onto a small island and wraps his arms around my waist, my hands resting on his chest.

"Out here, no one will see us and we might actually get some alone time before we go back to Hogwarts this afternoon." He says, smiling. "And we wont have to hear Fred's irritating comments."

I let out a small laugh and he leans in, about to kiss me, but I turn my head to the side, causing him to kiss my cheek.

A small pout forms on his face.

"Fine." I give in and take his face in my hands, kissing him slowly.

"GEORGE! CORA!" Mrs. Weasley calls form the house. "Hurry back! You have to get packed to go back to Hogwarts!"

George breaks the kiss and takes my hand in his, walking me back to the house.

* * *

><p><strong>**A few hours later**<strong>

"Everybody ready?" Mrs. Weasley asks us.

"Yes!" Everyone replies simultaneously.

"Alright! Off to the train you go!" She says, pushing Ginny towards the entrance of Platform 9 and 3 quarters.

Everyone enters the platform and boards the train, George and I hand in hand.

"Cora! Come here!" Briar calls from a room on the train.

I let go of George's hand and walk over to her, question obvious on my face. "Yeah?" I respond.

"Hang out with me on the way there."

Strange…she's never said that to me before…

"Okay." I walk into the room, no one but me and her occupying it.

I don't ask why she wants me there, I just go with it. If she asks me to be near her, she has a good reason…even if I don't realize what it is.

A few hours later, we arrive at Hogwarts and we get off the train, grabbing our stuff and entering the large front doors of the school.

I see Briar eyeing Fred, a look in her eyes I haven't seen in a while.

"Briar…are you staring at Fred?" I ask, a teasing note in my voice.

"No!" She denies, but then goes back to staring at him. At one point, he looks back at her and she quickly looks down at her feet, a pink hue to her cheeks.

Whoa…

"Ohmigawd, Briar!" I almost scream, but then lower my voice to a whisper when I realize people are starting to stare. "You're actually surrendering to your feelings for Fred!"


	7. Confessions

**HOLA FELLOW READERS AND/OR WRITERS! Crystallizedflames is BACK. I know how much you guys suffered through that INSANELY short chapter, but it was worth it, because this time, it's ME writing. :D LOL JK. Last chapter was really really really really really really really really really GOOD. I give MaddieInWonderland a glorius round of applause. (everyone claps enthusiasticly. Except Snape. HE'S EVIL. ;D) **

** So, I've been exceedingly busy for some reason, even though I have no life, and I haven't been able to update ANYTHING, and besides the fact that school is now here (joy.) and my teachers have pounded me with homework as if my life depended on it, I haven't really felt like continuing most of my stories. I'll update the ones that I'm interested in at this point in time as soon as I can, but until then, NO HATIN. I'll get to it.**

** So after my random paragraphs of nonsense, why don't you just read? **

**Disclaimer: Nope. I don't own it. AND GUESS WHAT? I'm going vegetarian for 21 days. PROUD? Yeah. I know you don't care. I'm just sorta excited. BUT NO I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER. **

**P.S. Let it be known that every statistic used is MADE UP. :D**

_Confessions_

I swear, I could KILL Cora. She's way too obsessed with my love life, which I _don't have._

I mean, why the HECK would I like _Fred?_ He's annoying, utterly predictable, cocky, annoying, can't do anything on his own, too flirty for his own good, too much of a player, annoying, horribly incoherent, and ANNOYING.

It doesn't help that the literal _second _I stepped off the train, Fred was there, and he grabbed my arm and dragged me to the carriages. Then he proceeded to shove me into the carriage, as well as put himself in across from me, and prevented anyone and everyone else from hopping in with us until the thestral got annoyed and just left with only us two.

Needless to say, I glared at him the entire carriage ride.

"What?" He asked innocently, brushing his stupid red hair out of his stupid olive eyes. I scowled.

"You know 'what.' I was going to sit with Luna and Hermione, considering I haven't talked with them since the _beginning of winter break._"

He shrugged. "And? Don't you like me more? I'm more interesting than they are."

"You are not. Talking with Hermione about S.P.E.W. is more interesting than anything _you _can do."

Fred smirked. "Oh really?"

"Yes. Astounding, I know." I gave him a final death glare, then turned and stared at the thestral as it galloped towards Hogwarts.

Fred didn't say anything for a while, and I was beginning to hope that he had jumped out of the carriage, but the arm that slid around my waist told me otherwise.

"You know, Briar, I was thinking…"

Cora's spiel about me confessing to Fred ran through my mind, and I immediately pushed Fred away. "Get. Away. From. Me."

He just smiled. "You don't really mean that."

I glared. "Yeah. I do."

I turned back to the thestral, not wanting to see his reaction. He was quiet for the rest of the ride.

Once we had arrived at Hogwarts, I jumped out of the carriage, and began to walk away from it, when Fred grabbed my arm.

I whirled around. "What?"

He didn't say anything; his eyes just stared at me, calculating and observant. I narrowed my eyes. "What, Fred?"

He frowned a bit, and mumbled something, but I was already fed up. I ripped my arm from his grasp, and snapped at him. "Just leave me alone. Gosh."

I wasn't sure whether to be happy or disappointed when he didn't follow.

* * *

><p>It's been a week since I yelled at Fred, and neither of us have spoken to one another. Cora is really worried about me. She doesn't show it necessarily, but she keeps reading me Muggle magazine articles about girls who die because they denied their loved one.<p>

"And in the United States, diseases like lovesickness are real, and girls seriously DIE from it. I think the article said that one in every hundred teenage girls die every year from it. And get this-"

I held up a hand. "Cora, your concern stuns me. Now please leave. I'm reading."

Cora pouted. "I'm not concerned, I'm just reading you something interesting."

"…That just so _happens _to be about dying from being in love and not confessing it?"

Cora glared at me, but she stomped away anyways. I smiled as she did. Her interest in how I was doing really touched me. I don't think she's ever been this way with me before. It was both sweet and annoying at the same time.

Going back to my book, I swung my legs over the arm of the chair I was sitting in, and turned up the music on my earphones. The fire crackled next to me, casting a warm glow over the Gryffindor common room. I didn't realize Hermione had been waiting for me until I glanced up from my book to go poke the embers, and found her standing in front of me impatiently.

I took out my earphones. "Hey Hermione. How was your winter break?"

She glared at me. "Don't give me that, Briar. You knew full well that Luna and I were planning to sit with you, and yet you left without us anyways. What's wrong with you? Have you not realized that I haven't seen you for three weeks?"

I sighed and sat up. "I had originally planned to sit with you and Luna, but Fred Weasley intercepted me the second I got off the train, and dragged me into a carriage."

When I was telling Hermione this, I was expecting her to glare off into the distance, yell "That BUSTED-UP HYPOGRIFF!" and run off to find him. What I got instead was:

"Awww that's so cute! Did you guys kiss? Has he confessed his love for you yet?" Hermione started giggling. "If that's what happened, that's fine. I hope you guys had fun!" She waved, and then bounded off with a smile.

Great. All of my friends had gone absolutely, entirely NUTS.

I huffed, poking the fire to stir up the flames, and went back to my book. I felt someone nudge my knee, causing me to _yet again _stop my reading.

I shut the book, sighing. "Is all of Hogwarts conspiring against my reading of this book, or is it just…me…" I paused when I glanced up to find Fred staring down at me. He smiled sheepishly.

"Hey, Briar."

"Hi." I answered warily, moving a little farther to the edge of the chair, in case he decided to grab me again.

He stood there awkwardly for a second, then gestured to the chair across from mine. "May I?"

I nodded, and he sat, drumming his fingers on the arm chair for a couple of seconds. I was just about ready to open my book again when he decided to speak.

"Briar, I'm really sorry. For whatever I did. Whatever it was that made you mad. I'm really sorry." He sighed, and ran his fingers through his hair. He chuckled a bit. "Sorry, I'm not used to this. I've never really had to apologize to girl because she won't talk to me. I've never really _felt _like this about a girl before."

I glared at him. "If you're going to give me the 'I-am_-so-incredibly-in-love_-with-you' spiel, I don't want to hear it." I got up, taking my book and shoving my iPod earphones into my pocket. "Thanks, but no thanks. Goodnight." I left him sitting in the chair, staring at my empty seat.

* * *

><p>Breakfast the next morning was silent, surprisingly. I was by myself, as Luna had gone looking for her SpectreSpecs (she had someone managed to lose them somewhere in the Ravenclaw Common Room), and Hermione and Cora had run off to go talk about something or other that I probably didn't care about.<p>

I was actually getting used to the whole 'silent' thing, when guess who decided to sit down next to me?

"Hey princess." Fred sat down next to me, and a plate immediately materialized in front of him.

I ignored him.

"You know, it's normally considered 'good manners' to make conversation with somebody." He said, taking a bite out of his syrup-covered pancake.

"I thought you didn't believe in manners." I smirked. I didn't mean to say anything, but I couldn't help but retort to _that._

He smiled triumphantly. Something inside me died. "I think that's the most you've said to me since we got back to Hogwarts."

I glared at him, causing his smiled to falter. "Didn't I tell you to leave me alone?"

"Yeah, but,"

I got up and left before he could finish that statement.

* * *

><p>I went through my classes in a haze, trying to figure out what was going on with Fred. Everywhere I went, he was normally there, waiting for me, even if I only gave him time to smile and wave at me.<p>

It was annoying me to no end.

Sadly, Potions was my last class, which meant sitting next to Fred for a whole 50 minutes to an hour. I was almost thinking about ditching class, when Professor Snape came up to me beforehand.

"Ms. Sterling, a student in your class is having extreme difficulty with this somewhat easy potion. I would like it if you could go help the bumbling idiot. I'd fail him, but the Headmaster insisted."

I nodded, glad that I could get away from Fred, who was just now walking through the classroom door. "Of course, Professor."

Snape led me to the student, and left me to help him, while Fred went to our table, staring at me the whole way.

The second class was over, I ran out to the Gryffindor Common Room, making sure that I was in and out of it before Fred could see me. My gymnastics routine needed work, and I didn't need any distractions.

* * *

><p>"One, two, three, and one, two, three, and one, two, three, and-ACK!" I yelled as I tripped over my ribbon. Huffing, I threw it to the side, and just practiced the routine without it. That had been the third time I had tripped over it, and if I happened to sprain my ankle, my coach would murder me. Heck, I would murder myself. I had been working my whole life for this.<p>

I started at the beginning of the song, crossing the empty classroom to the very far right corner. As it began to play, I lost myself in the music. My body already knew the steps, it was just all about perfecting them. I jumped, and somersaulted in mid-air, landing perfectly into the splits. The song ended as I did. Clapping emanated from the doorway.

"That was fantastic." Fred was standing there. I huffed.

"Why are you always following me? I think I've made it perfectly clear that I don't want you here." I switched off my iPod, and turned to face him, holding my ribbon like a whip.

He held his hands up. "I surrender. Now put the ribbon down."

"Why in the world would I do that? You might molest me." I flipped the ribbon, creating a sound much like a crack.

"You know you want me to." He smirked, and took a step closer. I took on back.

"I really don't. Can you leave now?"

"I will, but can you answer something for me?" Fred looked away from me, putting his hands into his pockets.

"That depends." I glared at him, wary. Fred never did what you were expecting him to.

"Over winter break, during the Christmas party, you said something to me. Do you remember what it was?" He turned his head, and set his eyes right on mine.

I remembered Cora's words again, for what seemed like the millionth time. _Crap, crap, crap, crap, crappity crap crap CRAP…._

"No." I said, trying to keep my gaze on him steady, but I felt my face heating up even as I said it.

_Stupid face. I HATE YOU, TRAITOR._

A look dawned on Fred's face. "You do remember, don't you? You just don't want to admit it." With each word, he stepped closer to me, and I took a step back for each one he took forward.

"No, I seriously don't remem-"

"Don't you DARE lie to me, Briar Rose." His eyes hardened as he kept walking towards me. I tried to step back more, but the wall of the classroom blocked me. _CRAP!_

"Are you _trying _to hurt me?" Fred slammed his fists against the wall, cornering me. His eye glared at me. "Is this _fun _for you? Do you _like _making me feel like one of the _few _people in my _life _that I actually _care _about _hates me_? Do you?"

Fred slid his hands down the wall, closer to my face. Was he…_confessing _something to me?

"Why are you doing this?" I whispered, peering up at him.

He looked at me in shock. "You haven't figured it out yet?"

"Figure _what _out?" I mumbled, flinching a bit as Fred put his face right in front of mine.

"I think I'm in love with you, Briar."

And then he kissed me.


	8. Wait, But He, WWhat?

**MaddieInWonderland here with, hopefully, a chapter longer than my last one…IT WAS PRETTY LONG FOR ME, THOUGH. I write my chapters in a notebook and then type them, then upload them. So when I write, like, 15 pages in the notebook, it only turns out to be, like, 2 pages on the computer…AND THEN IT LOOKS EVEN SHORTER ON HERE. But whatever…what can I do? Just write the chapters, that's what. So…Wednesday afternoon, while I was at my brother's football game, the guy I like stole my phone and put his number in it and now we've been texting and all that stuff…but you guys probably don't care about that. YOU SHOULD, THOUGH. It inspired me to write a few things in this chapter that, though they're nothing like what happened to me in real life, I can honestly say that the upcoming events in this chapter were inspired by him. But enough talk from me. LETS GET TO THE STORY!**

**Disclaimer: WHY do I even have to write a disclaimer? I've already told you people that I DON'T. OWN. HARRY. POTTER.  
><strong>

_Wait…But He…W-What?_

"He confessed!" Cora screamed as she ran into the Gryffindor Common Room.

"Lower your voice, love. You don't want to wake anyone up, do you?" I responded quietly, checking the time. 11 o'clock p.m.

"But I _can't_ lower my voice!" She yelled, "Its way to exci-"

I covered her mouth with my hand, causing her to finish her sentence in a muted mumble, and another sentence that sounded like it could have contained a few not-very-nice words in it.

"Who confessed what?" I ask, taking my hand off her mouth.

"Fred!" She whisper-screamed. "Fred confessed his love for Briar!"

"Oh…I know."

"What? You know? But it _just_ happened…not even 20 minutes ago!" She says, shocked.

"Yeah. I was the one who showed him where Briar was." I explain.

She makes a disappointed, groaning noise. "I thought I was the first to know…"

"Its okay, you're the second. That's a pretty good number. But…" I say, "How did _you_ know?"

"Uhhm…" A guilty look appears on Cora's face as she tries to think of an excuse.

"Were you there?" I ask, a little louder than an inside-voice should be.

"No!" She responds, defensively, "Okay, maybe a little bit but it wasn't like I was taking notes on the entire scene! I only got there at the end where I heard Fred say he loved her."

I let out a sigh, shake my head, and laugh a little bit. "You're a such a creep, Cora."

"I am not! I'm just…intent on getting my sister a love-life."

"Okay, whatever you need to tell yourself." I say and hug her, kissing the top of her head. "Now go to bed. It's late."

"Fine. G'night, George." She stands on her tip-toes and kisses my cheek, then prances up the stairs to her dorm.

I sit down on a large couch and stare at the fire, wood crackling, orange and gold fire spreading warmth throughout the entire room. The Common Room door opens and a girl enters. Its Briar.

"Eventful night?" I ask.

"Shut. The. F***. Up." She says and storms up the stairs.

Fred enters the room.

"How'd it go?" I ask, a sing-song tone to my voice.

"She kissed back." He says, smiling a very love-struck-boy smile and walks up to his dorm.

I place my arms behind my head and lay down on the couch, sinking in the cushiony fabric, and falling asleep with a smirk on my face.

The next morning, Briar comes up to me.

"So YOU told Fred where I was!" She accused.

"Yep." I respond.

"_Why?_"

"I knew how much he needed to say something to you."

"Well if you didn't say anything to him, we wouldn't be in th-"

"Look, my brother loves you and would do _anything_ for you, Sterling. This has never happened before and it probably never will happen again. If all you can do is reject him after he just told you he loved you, then I don't know why he's in love with you."

She looks stunned. She turns and walks away with nothing else to say.

"Whoa…what was that about?" Cora asks, walking up behind me and slipping her hand into mine.

"Nothing. Just some business between me and your sister." I say and slide my hand out of hers, walking down the hall to my Defense Against The Dark Arts class.

-  
><strong><br>**The Next Day****

Cora didn't push for information about yesterday's conversation between me and Briar. That's one thing I love about her…if you don't want to talk about something, she won't ask.

But…there's still a small part of me that wants to tell her why I got so mad at Briar. Speaking of Briar…I haven't seen her since our argument.

I slip my hand into Cora's as we lean against a wall in the Hogwarts Courtyard.

"Hey," I start, "Where's Briar been? I haven't seen her since yesterday…"

"Oh…" Cora responds, "Actually, she's in her dorm…She's been pretty quiet since you two got in that fight…"

"Oh, okay." I say and look over the entire courtyard.

I see someone, a girl, walking on the other side of the grass. Immediately, I pull my hand out of Cora's.

"Hey…uh…I gotta…uhm…go find Fred. I'll…uh…talk to you later, 'kay?" I say.

"Oh…sure, okay." She responds and forces a smile.

I walk away from her rather quickly, heading down the hall to get anywhere away from there.

I head towards Gryffindor Tower, whispering the newly-changed password to the moving painting.

"Caput Draconis."

The painting nods at me and lets me through. I walk through the Common Room and up the stairs to my dorm. I flop down the bed, thinking about how bad it would have been if that girl had seen me with Cora. What would she have said?

I don't even want to find out.

That was close, though. Too close.

The door opens and Fred enters the room.

"Hey, Georgie-poo." He says, using that name I hate so much.

"Hey." I reply.

"How's your day been?" He asks.

"Good." I lie.

"Okay, that's good." He makes small talk. "So how'd Defense Against The Dar-"

"Hey, I'm tired. I'm gonna go to bed, okay?" I cut him off.

"But…its only 4 o'clock in the afternoon."

I don't answer.

"Alright. Goodnight." He says after a few moments and leaves me to myself.

I fall asleep minutes later, thinking about the Courtyard.

"George! Wake up!" Fred's voice says as I feel my body being shaken.

"Whaaaat?" I moan.

"Its time to get out of bed, stupid."

"Shut uuup. I don't wannaaaa."

"Well too freaking bad!"

He grabs my left ankle and yanks it, forcing me out of bed and onto the ground, a loud thud radiating from where my back hit the ground.

"Owww…." I whine.

"Its your own fault. You should have gotten out of bed when I told you to." He answers. "Besides…don't you want to see Cora? You two have a class together don't you?"

"Yeah…we have Charms together."

"Well then get your butt off the cold floor and go see her."

"Fine…but its not because you told me to…"

"Okay, George. Whatever butters your toast." He teases and winks, then leaves, satisfied that he got me up.

I put on my robes and brush my teeth, then walk down the stairs and enter the Common Room.

"Hey…" Briar says from a very large chair on the other side of the room.

"Oh, hey." I say.

"Look…I'm…I'm sorry for scolding you the other day…I feel kinda bad about it. I mean, you were just helping your brother…" She says uncomfortably.

"Its cool. So…we're friends again?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, cool, well I have to get to Charms now. So I'll see you later."

"Alright, bye."

"Bye." I walk out of the room and into the hallway, stepping down many stairs and passing by a few moving staircases.

I walk into Charms and Cora's seat is empty.

Strange…She loves Charms class…Where is she?


	9. Lee? Just Shut Up, Thanks

**HI GUYS! Sorry for that last chapter. MaddieInWonderland, THAT WAS PATHETIC. THESE PEOPLE ARE EXPECTING HARD-CORE CHAPTERS, AND YOU GIVE THEM THREE PAGES. I'm not even going to MENTION that cliffhanger. Not happy. **

** But heeeeyyyyyy, that was good. I was interested. Props to you. BUT NOW ITS MY TURN. I CHOOSE YOU PIKACHUUU! **

**Disclaimer: I'M GOING TO PWN LAST CHAPTER. THIS IS NOW A BATTLE. And yeah, I don't own HP or wutev….. **

_Lee? Just Shut Up, Thanks._**  
><strong>

She kissed back.

SHE. KISSED. ME. BACK.

I couldn't even believe it. I was expecting her to push me off, call me something starting with a d and ending with ick (that's right. Drumstick.), then run off down the corridor.

Her arms were wrapped around my neck, mine around her waist, and we were kissing for what seemed like hours. I loved it.

Then she pulled away. I leaned down to kiss her nose, but she pushed me off. "What's wrong, Briar?"

"I don't like lovey-dovey couples."

I think I almost died right there.

I beamed at her. "I'm going back to the Common Room."

"Yeah, I'll, um, see ya later." She picked up the ribbon she had dropped, and kept her head bent when she rose. Her platinum hair moved a bit, and I saw that her face was red. I walked back over, and kissed her again.

"See ya." I waved as I left. Practically skipping down the corridor, I went to the Fat Lady's Portrait. "Caput Draconis."

"Someone's happy." She said with a smile as the portrait swung open. I climbed through to find George lounging on a couch, watching the fire.

"How'd it go?" He asked, although it seemed like he already knew.

"She kissed back." I said, smiling at nothing. I headed upstairs, and Briar was trying to get into her dorm room.

"Stupid Cora, I'm going to kill her…."

"Briar?" I gazed, surprised, at her. She turned, and when she saw me, she gasped.

"Hey Fred."

"How'd you get here so fast?"

"I..um..ran…"

"Oh."

We stood there awkwardly for a second, when Briar broke the silence. "Fred, I'm so sorry."

"What?"

"I don't think I, um, care about you…the way…you seem to, uh, care about me…" Briar stared at her feet as she said this. My smile stayed plastered on my face, but inside, my world had just crashed and burned.

"It's fine. Just a joke. I didn't actually mean it. Heh." I smiled even wider, hoping Briar wouldn't use her I-know-you're-lying-and-you-know-you're-lying-so-let's-just-cut-the-crap stare. Thankfully, she didn't, and instead turned back towards her door.

"I'm really sorry, Fred." She whispered, and with a quick, almost silent _Alohomora,_ she let herself into her dorm room.

I opened the door to my dorm, and threw myself on the bed. My eyes started to water, and I gave myself a yelling.

_YOU IDIOT. WHY DID YOU TELL HER? WHY ARE YOU CRYING? YOU KNEW THAT SHE WAS GOING TO REJECT YOU. YOU FRICKING __**KNEW **__IT. YOU IDIOT. FRED WEASLEY, YOU ARE A WUSS AND AN IDIOT AND YOU NEED TO GO DIE. OR STOP TALKING TO BRIAR. OR SOMETHING. YOU. __**FUDGING.**__IDIOT. _

I was relieved when my mind began to slow down. I closed my eyes, and fell asleep, only to be haunted with images of Briar.

* * *

><p>I woke up feeling like crap. My head hurt, I could barely move my legs, and my will to live had just been crushed like someone had dumped Hagrid <em>and <em>Fluffy on top of it, both holding 50 lbs. weights.

I threw my clothes on, stuck my wand in my pocket, and headed out. I walked past Briar, who was talking to George for reasons I didn't want to find out about, and sat down next to Lee.

"Fred! What's up?" Lee beamed at me. I gave him a small one back.

"Salutations."

"No offense, mate, but you look like someone just Crucio'd you. Alright?"

I was debating between whether to tell him, or not. Lee did know how to handle these things though. "It's about a girl."

"Lay it on me, mate."

I told him everything. About how we first met, winter break, and what had happened last night. That was the best thing about Lee. He knew how to listen.

"Yikes. Briar Sterling, huh?" He peered behind me, trying to locate her.

"Her blonde hair is like Luna's color, except hers is in loose curls and almost looks white if the sun is behind her. Kind of pale. Dark blue eyes."

Lee whistled, a gesture letting me know he had seen her. "You sure know how to pick 'em."

"That's not helping, Lee." I moaned, putting my head in my hands. Lee patted me on the shoulder.

"Sorry, mate. That was bad of me." He looked over at Briar again. "Why do you like her so much? She's been a bloody git to you."

"That's _why _I like her."

"What?" Lee gave me a confused look.

I sighed. "Every other girl, when I meet them, they either start flirting, or get bossy with me, because they think they can 'tame' me. Briar was the first girl to actually _ignore _my presence in a room, as well as evade a prank, then throw it back at me. I've never had anyone, girl or guy, do that to me, and at first I was mad, thinking that someone like her could actually _survive_ on the same planet as me, but then I realized that I didn't hate her at all. She was too mysterious and undefinable for that. I couldn't ever seem to predict what she was going to do."

Lee nodded. "I see. So, you're in love with Briar because she's mean, sarcastic, hates your guts, and just overall _nasty _to you. Wow. Why haven't you dated a Slytherin yet?"

"Lee, she's not _just _nasty to me. She has these weird moments of being incredibly sweet to me, and acting like she seriously cares about me."

"Oh ho. So she's bipolar?"

"No, Lee. I don't think you understand this."

"No, really mate. I swear I understand. Listen," Lee dropped the doughnut he was eating, and turned to face me. "what you do is this. Don't pay attention to her."

"Ignore her?"

"Exactly. Don't speak to her, don't sit next to her in classes, don't even bloody breathe in the same _room _as her. Then she'll see that you're ignoring her, and therefore can't possibly like her, and she'll start falling in love with you."

"That doesn't sound like Briar…"

"It'll work. Trust me. Have I ever steered you wrong?" Lee picked the doughnut back up and bit into it. I had a flashback of when he jinxed a Bludger to follow me around during a Quidditch game against Ravenclaw. Then another of when he told George and me that Snape had left his Potions room so that we could replace his glass of Firewhiskey with Polyjuice Potion that would make him turn into McGonagall, when Snape was actually still there.

"I'm not going to answer that."

"Come on, mate. Just try it. One month. If it doesn't work, then fine, whatever, no harm done, right?" As much as I didn't like the idea, Lee had a point.

"Alright, fine. I'll try."

"That's a good twin. Now eat. I'm hungry, and even though you're acting like the Bloody Baron when Slytherin loses a Quidditch match, I know you're hungry."

I opened my mouth and Lee shoved about six doughnuts into it. "Thanthks." I tried to say, but Lee was laughing too hard to notice.

* * *

><p>I tried Lee's advice for a month.<p>

Needless to say, it didn't really work out how I intended it too.

A week in, I was almost bursting. Briar had completely ignored what had happened in the Common Room, and was now back to her old self.

Specifically, back to insulting and making sarcastic comments about _everything._

It took everything plus ten times that to not talk back to her, or join in with her. The next week, she stopped walking with me to Potions, which was like a blow to the heart. The week after, I realized that Snape had permanently moved her seat over to the one kid who wasn't doing well, _plus _she had stopped talking to me too.

The month was almost up, and I walked purposefully over to Lee, who was talking with Angelina Johnson.

"Lee. We need to talk."

"I'm guessing you aren't over here to tell me that you've found an extremely pretty Ravenclaw that fancies me?"

"Disappointing, I know." I nodded at Angelina, who blushed, but nodded back. I sighed and gave a pointed look towards Lee, who took it with a smile and a wink at Angelina.

"Let's go, mate."

I dragged him out to the lake, and turned on him. "Lee, the whole 'Ignore-Briar-So-That-She-Loves-You' thing isn't working."

Lee stared at me, confused. "It isn't?"

"NO."

"I'm sure she's just getting used to it."

"Lee, she's ignoring _me _now."

"Oh."

"'Oh.' Is right." I huffed, and started pacing around. "What am I going to do? She's driving me crazy, Lee. CRAZY."

"Sorry, mate. I can't really help you." Lee put his hands through his dreadlocks, and looked at the mushy grass beneath him.

"What do you mean you can't help me?"

"I mean that this Briar girl isn't at all like the _normal _girls at Hogwarts." He sighed, and looked at me desperately. "Why can't you just go out with Angelina? She's nice, bloody good at Quidditch, and fancies _you _a lot more than _me." _

I could tell that Lee already knew the answer before I said it. "She's not Briar, Lee."

"Apparently."

"Could you just, leave, for a second?" I said, leaning against a tree, gazing out over the lake.

"Yeah. Sure, mate." Lee left silently, trudging back up the hill to the castle. I sighed, closed my eyes, and started mumbling things.

"Maybe I should just leave...It's not like she wants to see my face anymore…I sure wouldn't if I was her…What a bloody git I am…"

"You aren't a bloody git, Weasley."

My eyes shot open. I looked around to find Briar sitting next to me, reading a book.

"How-How long…"

"Have I been sitting here? A couple minutes."

I sighed. She hadn't heard my conversation with Lee.

I stared out over the lake while she read her book. Briar shut the book, and gazed at it with me.

"So, why have you been avoiding me?"

I stiffened. _Crap, crap, crap, crappity crap crap crap…._

She nudged my arm. "I'm not going to judge, Weasley."

"Umm…"

"Lemme guess," She stood up, but only to move to sit in front of me. "You were avoiding me because you thought it would make the fact that you confessed to me less awkward, as well as try to get me to like you back."

I glanced at her. "How do you know that?"

She looked up, and smiled. "This tree is my favorite thinking tree."

I looked up with her and saw a hideaway made up of a bunch of old wooden boards nailed together and a stack of books and a book bag on the ledge it made. "That sucks bloody hypogriffs."

"For you." She smirked.

I gulped. "Hey, Briar….can we pretend that what happened a month ago never happened?"

She smiled. It both lit my life up and tore it apart in flames at the same time. "What happened a month ago?"

I smiled back at her. "Exactly."

Laughing, she stood up, and offered me a hand. "Come on, Weasley. I have a whole mess of pranks to play on Cora and George, and you are the exact accomplice I need."

"Well," I said, taking it and hoisting myself up. "Good thing I'm the twin that carries the Marauder's Map."

She smiled maliciously. "I solemnly swear that we are up to no good?"

"Until our mischief is managed."


	10. The Nerve Of Some Boys

Friends,** acquaintances, relatives, lovers. *Walks into big ballroom wearing a forest-green, floor-length dress with a sweetheart neckline.* MaddieInWonderland attempting to make a grand entrance here but…obviously, I'm failing. So lets just pretend the last few minutes of our lives never happened and get on with the story…**

**P.S. Sorry for taking such a long time to upload the chapter…I was in Arizona for Thanksgiving and didn't have a laptop or anything I could upload the chapter by…**

**P.P.S. I know I don't write supermegafoxyawesomehot chapters like crystallizedflames does…but I do write chapters. So…is everyone okay with me and my simply short chapters? If you're not…TOO BAD. GET USED TO IT. Thank you.**

**Disclaimer: I honestly don't know why I have to write these disclaimer things…I've already told you I don't own Harry Potter…and…I'm running out of witty comments to add into these things…**

_The Nerve Of Some Boys_

I lie in my bed, still dressed in my pajamas and covered by my wine-red colored blankets, staring at the ceiling.

'George. He's been acting strange all of a sudden. Like he's embarrassed to be seen with me…' I think to myself.

I glance at the clock. 10:03 a.m. I missed Charms. Eh…what's one day going to do? I'm already ahead in that class.

I roll onto my side and allow my eyes to close as I drift into sleep.

_****Entering Dream State****_

I stand, alone, in front of the Weasley's house, staring as a light in one of the windows slowly dims and eventually goes out. I watch as, one by one, the rest of the lights follow suit, leaving the house as dark as the night surrounding me.

A creak breaks the silence as the front door slowly opens. A tall, male figure emerges from the house.

I focus my eyes, attempting to identify the unknown person standing who-knows-how-many feet away from me.

Finally, I realize who it is: George.

I smile and try to speak, but I make no noise. I try again but still no sound is able to run to my mouth.

A woman emerges form the house and George wraps an arm around her waist. I can't name who she is but she looks familiar. She's not me…she's too tall to be me.

She smiles an evil smile, full of vengeful pleasure. She parts her lips and starts to whistle. A low, hollow sound is released from her mouth and, as she whistles, a white mist flows from her lips. In a matter of seconds, I am encased in a thick, dull, silvery haze.

Two voices speak, one a man's, to whom I believe belongs to George. The other, a woman's, that I assume is property of the unidentified woman at George's side.

"Coralie." They say, and nothing more.

My name rings in my ears, their tone of voice, haunting.

Something dark shoots through the compact fog and a deep pain erupts from my chest. I look down, only to see that an arrow carved from emerald has found its way through my ribs, piercing my heart.

No blood drops from the wound as I try to pull the arrow-shaped gem from my torso, but the jewel stays lodged in place.

I fall to the ground, waiting for death to consume me, but I'm left there for what feels like an eternity, feeling a deep, throbbing pain in my chest.

_****Exiting Dream State****_

I awake with a jolt, sitting upright, with labored breathing. I slow my air-intake and place my hand over my heart.

No arrow. It was just a dream.

I lie back down and remember something Briar had said when we were little.

'Dreams have hidden meanings.'

If that statement is true, then…what did this dream mean?

* * *

><p><strong><em>**The Next Day**<em>**

"It would point to George cheating on you…speaking as if the dream actually does mean anything." Briar states after I described my nightmare. "But honestly, Cora...George loves you like no other. I doubt he'd ever cheat."

"But the dream was-" I start, but she cuts me off.

"Too real? Yeah, I've had those kinds of dreams before. They never meant anything."

I let out a defeated sigh and nod my head.

"Okay…I believe you."

"Good." She says with a smile and then looks me up and down. "Now we should probably get you something to eat. You look thinner than usual."

Without waiting for any approval from me, Briar grabs my wrist and drags me to the dining hall and sits me down at one of the tables. A plate stacked high with steaming food appears in front of me.

I pick up a biscuit and spread some butter and jam on it, then shove it in my mouth, not caring if I look like a pig in the process.

"The strange thing was, though, was that the arrow was formed out of emerald, and no matter how much it hurt, I still couldn't help but admire the beauty of it." I say and turn to where Briar should be standing, but she wasn't there. I look around the dining hall and don't see her anywhere.

"Thanks, Briar…just leave me without telling me, why don't you…" I mutter to myself.

"I wont leave you." Draco's voice whispers in my ear. I turn to look at him as he leans over me and he flashed this creepy grin at me, then winks.

"Piss off, Malfoy…You're annoying." I say, getting up and walking out the door.

I make my way over to my Charms classroom to ask Professor Flitwick what I missed…when I see George talking to a girl out in the hallway, standing rather close to her, too. Her dark-chocolate hair shone in the sunlight breaking through the arches in the walls.

I slow my pace a little and try to quiet my steps, but these hallways amplify every little sound.

The girl peers over George's shoulder, but only enough that I can see one eye. She says her goodbyes and leaves quickly, turning her head away from me, preventing me from seeing her face.

George starts walking in the direction of the Gyrffindor Common Room, but I run up to him and link my arm in his.

"Hey." I say, standing on the tips of my toes, planting a small kiss on his cheek.

"Hi." He responds.

"So…who was that girl?" I ask, looking in the direction she walked.

"Just an old family friend." He answers.

"Okay…" I reply, not completely believing him.

"I'll see you in a little bit, alright?" He says, kissing my forehead. I nod and he heads off to wherever he was planning on going before I stopped him.

I walk down the hall a little ways and open the door to the Charms class, only to find that no one was occupying the room. Shrugging my shoulders. I back out of the room and shut the door.

I need to find Briar. Maybe what just happened with George with change her mind about my dream not meaning anything.

* * *

><p>"Cora! Cora! Wake up!" Briar's voice says, alarmed. "I can't find Fred!"<p>

I look at the clock. 1:28 a.m.

"Why are you looking for Fred at 1:30 in the morning?" I ask.

"Don't ask questions! Just help me find him!" She demands and yanks the blankets off of me.

I sit up and push myself out of bed.

"'Kay…" I say drowsily, "We're going to go about this like a lost pocket watch…where'd you see him last?"

"By the Defense Against The Dark Arts Room." Briar answers.

"Okay, let's check there."

We walk over to the class and try to open the door. No luck, it's locked. Crap, and I left my wand back in the dorm. I look at Briar and don't see her wand on her either.

Great. What if some creeper-monster-thing like Malfoy comes and finds us? We won't b able to petrify him.

"Okay…he's probably not in there. Lets go check the Courtyard." I suggest and pull her behind me.

As we walk up to the courtyard entrance, I see a very familiar head of red hair sticking out from behind a pillar.

'Oh…it's a prank…'

"Wow, Briar…I would have thought you would have come up with something more creative than Fred hiding behind some stone but I guess-" I stop mid-sentence as I walk into the Courtyard, turning to one side and seeing Fred and Briar walk over to see why I stopped speaking.

There, up against a wall, a George. His arms wrapped around a girl's waist, his lips touching hers.

He hears me speak and breaks the kiss to see who interrupted their moment. His expression turns from irritation to guilty-surprise as he sees it was me standing there.

"Cora…" he tries to explain, letting go of the girl, who turns to me and I recognize who she is. Angelina Johnson, who's face looks guiltier than George's.

George puts a hand on my arm but I swat it away, tears burning my eyes and leaving hot streams where they run down my cheeks.

"F*** you…" I say, my voice icy.

I turn and push past the shocked Briar, fleeing the scene.

"Cora!" I hear George call.

What sounds like a slap is followed by Briar and Fred yelling some un-repeatable words at George.

Then, I hear Briar call me. "Cora! Cora, wait for me!" Her steps and mine echoing in the large hallway.

I don't stop until I get to the painting in front of the Gryffindor Common Room. I place my arms on the wall and rest my head on my forearms, leaning up against the stone wall.

Briar's arms wrap me in a hug.

"He's a f***ing b*stard." I scream, tears dropping to the floor, one by one, forming a miniscule puddle at my feet.

"I know." Briar responds. "And he's going to pay for what he did."


	11. Revenge is Always Sweet

** Good job, MaddieInWonderland. You don't even KNOW how much fun I had writing this chapter. **

** YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW. **

** I've got a lot of genius ideas for this story, and it'll probably be the only story I actually finish that consists of more than two chapters! YAY! :D **

** Disclaimer: UNLIKE MaddieInWonderland, I actually have a witty thing for you. I HATE YOU. GO AWAY. I'D RATHER EAT A 20 BY 20 AT IN-N-OUT THAN WRITE YOU. (For those of you readers who have not tasted the deliciousness of In-N-Out, it's a magical land filled with the most amazing burgers, fries, and chocolate shakes in the world. A 20 by 20 is a burger with 20 patties and 20 pieces of cheese. Disgusting, but hey, I'd rather eat that than write this FUDGING DISCLAIMER.)**

**Enjoy. **

_Revenge is Always Sweet_**  
><strong>

Lately, murdering people has been on my mind a lot.

First it was Cora, then it was Fred, then it was Luna, then it was Fred again, then Cora again, and Fred for a THIRD time, and now it's George.

George. Yep. The one people would expect me to hate the least.

Yeah, he's going to die tomorrow.

Fred even agrees with me, and he's related to the illegitimate child.

"Okay, Briar," Fred said, sitting on a bench facing the Shrieking Shack. We were in Hogsmeade, and Fred had ditched George and Angelina, who still flirted shamelessly with him, (I knew because A) He told me and B) How is it possible to NOT notice?) even if she was now dating George 'officially,' to devise revenge plans. Cora had stayed in Gryffindor tower, and I felt sort of bad about leaving her there, but it was for the best. "Gimme some ideas."

"Why am I always the mastermind?" I complained, sitting next to him on the bench. It was February now, and the snow was already covering everything it could find. I still couldn't believe that I'd only known Fred and George for a couple of months. I mean, Fred could be my blood brother.

Said blood brother looked at me mischievously. "Everyone knows you're smarter than I am, Rose."

"Rose? You really want to go there?"

"Yep. I think that'll be your new nickname. Rose. Rosie. Rosadale. Sleeping Beauty."

"Please don't."

"Rosalie. Rosaline. Rosa. Thorny."

"Thorny? Really?"

"Rose….Rose…Alright, I'm out of nicknames."

"Good. We have to think of something to torture George with." I started making designs in the snow with my wand.

"I was thinking we could use Cora as distraction…"

"No. She'd get too emotional. Do you realize how hard it is to face someone you think you love after they've pretty much taken your emotions, stomped on them, and then thrown them into a boiling vat of hot oil to die?" I glanced up from my turtle that I was making in the snow to see Fred staring sadly off at the Shrieking Shack. "Fred?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I guess not." He stared at his feet, looking sadder than I'd ever seen him before.

"Fred? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Where were we?" Fred glanced up again, his face normal and happy again.

"Distraction." I said, going back to my turtle. "I could do it."

"George won't trust you a whole lot."

"He'll trust me a heck of a whole lot more than you or Cora."

"Touche." Fred used his wand to draw a shell pattern on the snow turtle.

"So, what's the actual prank gonna be?"

Fred glanced around. "Crap."

"What?" I glanced up at him.

"Angelina and George are coming." He stood up, brushing the snow off of his robes. "Come on, we've got to get out of here."

"How do you know they're coming?" I asked, standing up and shaking the snow off of me.

"Spell."

"Oh."

Voices could now be heard coming down the pathway. Fred grabbed my hand, and ran into the woods behind us. "Come on, Briar!"

"Fred, where are we even going?" I raced in between the trees, trying to keep Fred's bright hair in sight.

"Honeyduke's. They'll see us if we take the normal passage back to the castle." He veered right, and I followed, almost crashing into a tree as I did so.

"Fred, I don't know if you know this or not, but there's a study proving that girls can't turn corners as fast as guys can." I yelled as Fred veered left, leaving me to run into a tree. "Not to mention that I'm as clumsy as heck when I'm not dancing or doing gymnastics."

Fred sprinted back, and helped me up. "Are you okay?"

"What do _you _think? I just ran into a _tree!_"  
>"Well, you're sarcasm isn't hurt, so I'm gonna go out on a limb here, and say that you're fine." But he smiled and went slower as we ran through the forest, keeping a hand on my arm at all times.<p>

We finally reached Honeyduke's, and Fred quickly dragged me down into the cellar without anyone seeing. He lifted a floorboard, and pushed me in, hopping in after. Dragging me down the narrow tunnel, he stopped walking every so often to check something. After what felt like years of running along the endless tunnel, he stopped, and turned towards me, smiling.

"Good news: They're not following."

"Well, from the way you practically ripped my arm off and how we didn't stop running until we reached this bloody tunnel, I'd imagine so." I muttered, rubbing said almost-ripped off arm. Fred didn't even give me a pity glance.

"Bad news: The rest of this tunnel is really narrow, so sorry in advance if we get stuck."

"_That's _reassuring." I huffed as he continued along, but followed anyways.

Fred led me around for hours (possibly minutes. Don't expect me to wear a watch. That's what magic's for.) I was about to die of boredom. Normally, I'm not like this, but you try walking around a dark, weird-ass tunnel for forever with some red-headed freak who won't speak at all, except when mumbling something like, "No, this way." Or "FRICKIN HYPOGRIFF. THAT WAS A BLOODY HUGE RAT." The only half-amusing thing he'd done in the past hour was spaz out because he had walked into a spider web. I'd laughed, he'd glared, and I realized that Ron wasn't the only Weasley deathly afraid of spiders.

I started daydreaming while walking, not paying attention to anything. I hadn't realized that Fred had stopped, and tripped over a rock at the exact same time he had.

I flew into Fred, who in turn fell into a narrow passageway between two rocks. I landed on top of him, and our faces were nearly touching. I squirmed, trying to get unstuck, and Fred just sighed.

"It's useless, Briar. We're stuck."

"Whaddya mean, 'We're stuck.'?" I continued squirming. Fred groaned.

"Briar. Don't. Frickin. Move."

"Why? I refuse to be stuck. I'm getting us out."

"BRIAR. Do you realize where you're situated right now?" Fred gave me a look, and I realized.

On top of him. My legs pretty much in between his.

"Oh."

"Yeah. 'Oh.' Is right." Fred sighed. "I tried to tell you. This passage is really narrow. We could only get through if we went one at a time." He glared at me. "You obviously weren't listening."

"Excuse you." I scoffed. "Don't expect me to pay attention when you're acting like the only things alive in the world is you and your stupid sense of direction. I just happened to trip over a rock the exact same moment you stopped. Call it what you will-"

"You're the clumsiest person I think I've ever met."

"That works."

I sighed, Fred sighed. "We're trapped, you said?"

"Stuck. I said stuck. But trapped works better." Fred huffed. I started messing up his hair. He tensed up, glaring at me. "What. Are. You. Doing."

"Playing with your gingerness."

"Don't. Touch. It." He growled at me. I probably would've stopped then, except that his irritation was entertaining me.

"Naww. Don't think I will. There isn't anything you can do about it." I smirked, and started messing it up even more. Fred looked like he was inwardly dying.

"You are KILLING ME. I'M DYING. AAAAAAAUUUGGGHHH." Fred mimed choking. I just laughed and kept mussing his red hair up. "When we get out of this, I am personally going to kill you."

His words made me stop. Not because they actually _affected _me (HAH. Don't make me laugh.), but because an idea had dawned on me.

"Fred," I said, staring at him. He gave me a suspicious look.

"Yes, Briar?"

"Does George care this much about his hair too?"

Fred scoffed. "More. He won't even let _me _touch it. He might've let Cora, but if she messed up his perfect I-don't-care-but-actually-I-really-do-so-don't-touch-or-you-die hairstyle, she'd be dead right now."

I smiled evilly at him. "Fred, I've just come up with the most amazing prank ever in the history of amazing pranks."

"Which means?"

"Which means, we are SO getting the frickin CRAP out of here." I gave him an apologetic look. "This will hurt, but for only a couple seconds."

Fred gritted his teeth. "If it means I get to fix my hair, AND get you OFF of me, then I'll take it."

I shifted my legs so that Fred could free his arms, Fred grimacing the whole time. "Done."

He let out a breath. "Thank freaking MERLIN."

"Can you move your arms?"

I felt as Fred tested out his newfound freedom. "Yes'm."

"Good. Alright, this might sound awkward, but do remember, I _am _the mastermind."

"You _are _the mastermind." Fred repeated, sounding like he was a brain-washed zombie. I laughed.

"Exactly. Okay, so I want you to grab my wand."

"Wand?"

"It's in the back pocket of my jeans."

Fred smiled evilly. "Oh boy, this'll be fun."

I glared at him. "Don't even _think _about it."

"Oh, I won't. _Promise." _Fred began to feel up my leg towards the back pocket of my jeans.

"Fred, stop feeling me up, and GET TO THE BLOODY BACK POCKET."

"Alright, alright, princess. Stop throwing such a hissy fit." He smirked as he found my wand. "Is this the closest I'm ever going to get to second base with you?" He handed my wand to me, still smiling.

"Honey, we never reached first." I took my wand from him, and pointed it at the rocks squishing us. "_Reducio._" The rock on the right shrunk the slightest bit, allowing enough room for me to get off of Fred.

I did so, grabbing Fred's hand to pull him up with me.

"Ouch, that was the most painful 30 minutes I've ever had to endure." He said as he stretched. I slipped through the crevice, gesturing for Fred to follow.

"Let's go, pervert. I want to explain my plan to you."

"Alright, princess."

"Don't call me that."

"Sure thing, princess."

"You are _impossible._"

"So are you. Guess that's why we're best friends, huh?" He threw an arm around my shoulder. I pushed it back off.

"Sure. Whatever."

"You didn't say no!"

I growled in return, getting him to shut up. I was _thisfrickinclose _to replacing George as number one on my Hit List. Fred was looking like a pretty good replacement, too.

* * *

><p>"…and then you," I pointed at Luna. "need to hurry and give Cora the bottle. After she's done dumping it, you guys need to get the frick out of there, because more likely than not, Fred here will botch the situation by warning his dear lovely brother about it."<p>

"Will not."

"I'm including it so that we have space in case you have a sudden change of heart to torture George more."

"Oh." Fred laid his head back down on a pillow that he had propped up against me. Cora, Luna, Hermione and Fred were all sitting around me as I explained our revenge plan against George. Cora still looked like a train had run over her, but hey, it only looked like Thomas the Tank Engine had run over her, not some super-high speed train in Tokyo. So she looked better than yesterday. Hermione had tagged along with us because of Cora, and Luna because she was bored, and wanted to help do something disastrous. Fred and I were doing most of the work, but neither of us cared too much. We both didn't want to be mean, but Luna would probably daydream and miss her cue, while Hermione would probably give us away because she's such a horrible liar (which isn't such a bad thing. But when you're trying to get revenge, it is.), and Cora, well, she was still depressed about the whole thing, so we didn't want to put too much on her.

"Fred, the map." Fred pulled out the Marauder's Map out of his pocket, and handed it to me.

"_I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."_ The map appeared, revealing where everyone was in the castle. "We're doing this tonight, guys. There isn't much time. Hermione," I looked at her. She was staring at a certain red-head across the room, one who was talking with Harry.

"Stop fantasizing about doing Ron, Hermione." Fred yawned. Hermione blushed scarlet, and looked down at her skirt, fidgeting.

"S-sorry. What'd you say, Briar?"

"I was going to say that I need all of these materials by 5 o'clock. I'll make the potions. Hurry, though." I handed her a list, and she nodded, racing off. "Luna, Cora," I looked at the two of them. "I need you both to be ready. Fly on your brooms, adjust the ropes, set all the traps, do whatever you need to make sure this plan succeeds. Make sure, however, that they aren't set, or seen. We don't want any of the teachers or students to know what we're doing." The two nodded, and both got up to start setting things up.

Fred sighed, looking up at me. "What do _we _do, princess?"

"We wait." I said, standing up. Fred fell off his pillow with a moan. Sitting up, he looked up at me.

"Where're you going?"

"My room."

"Can I come with?"

I glanced at him. He gave me an innocent smile. I sighed. Fred took that as a yes, and looped his arm through mine, dragging me up the stairs. "Oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy. We're gonna tell secrets, and I can paint your nails, and then we can bake a cake filled with rainbows and happiness, and I can put a princess on top, and then we can discuss our favorite shoes, and I can show you my wardrobe, and we can plan a shopping trip, and-"

"Oh my God. Fred. SHUT. UP."

"Grumpy."

"Pervert."

"Princess."

"Do you want to come with me, or not?"

Silence. I turned to see Fred giving me a puppy face. "That crap doesn't work with me."

He kept doing it. His olive eyes had grown huge, and I saw that now, they were sort of turning into a sky blue. "Your eyes are turning blue."

"Huh?" He blinked, not quite sure what to make of my statement.

I sighed. "Never mind." Then I continued to walk to my door. Fred followed. He seemed to do that a lot. Follow me. It made me feel like that one guy from a Muggle fairytale, the Pied Piper.

We went into my room, and I plopped onto my bed. Fred sat on my trunk. "What do we do now?"

"I told you. We wait."

Fred sighed. "Can't we, like, _do _something?"

"No."

He grumbled. I smiled. He was so fun to tease.

I closed my eyes after a couple seconds of silence, but they shot open when I felt another body press up against mine.

"Fred…"

"Princess?"

"What're you doing?"

"Cuddling." He put his chin on my shoulder.

"Why?"

"Because I'm cold, and you look like Briar Rose when you sleep."

"Technically, I _am _Briar Rose."

"I never said you weren't." He licked my cheek, causing me to spaz out. He laughed as I did, and I started tickling him. He started dying.

_Note to self: Fred is really ticklish._

We were in the middle of a full-on tickle war, when a thin, scruffy-looking cat patronus flew into the room. It yawned, sitting on its haunches, staring at us. I got off of Fred, who looked disappointed that we had stopped, and the cat opened its mouth, Cora's voice flowing out of it.

"_Hermione has the ingredients. She's in the abandoned classroom. Traps are set. Luna and I are waiting for Fred. I hope you two aren't making out in a corridor." _

"Can she hear us?" Fred whispered in my ear. I nodded, which was probably a bad thing to do. "AWW, BRIAR. WHY'D WE STOP? I WAS REALLY ENJOYING THAT. STUPID CORA. YOU MESSED UP OUR SNOGGING."

I glared at him, and he burst out laughing. "Just kidding, Cora. We aren't. I'll be with you and Luna in a minute. Right after I do Briar." I mouthed _I'm going to kill you._ Fred gulped, and said, "Just kidding Cora!"

Her patronus physically humphed, and her voice spoke out of it. _"You'd better be. If you even __**touch **__Briar, I will make sure you regret it. I don't trust you anymore. You can thank your idiotic douchebag of a brother for that." _ The cat stretched, licked its paws, then disappeared into smoke with a POOF!  
>"Can you both do that?" Fred stared at the empty space where the cat stood. I murmured the spell for the patronus, and a wolf bounded out of my wand. It ran around the room, yelping, then I put my mouth to the tip of the wand. I thought the words, and the wolf spoke. "<em>Does this answer your question?"<em>

Fred beamed at me. "You are so going to have to teach me how to do that."

"Later," I got off the bed, practically skipping towards the door. "Right now, we have to go cause mayhem."

* * *

><p>I brushed the sweat off of my forehead, as well as a piece of platinum blonde hair that had stuck there. I had three cauldrons bubbling, each with a different potion. One of them, a lovely shade of sapphire blue (which also just happened to be my birthstone), I poured into a large crystal vial. Handing it to Luna, I nodded at her, and she left in a hurry, her Ravenclaw robes flowing out behind her. Untying, then retying my hair into a low ponytail. Fred lounged on a desk behind me, casting sparks into the air with his wand. Hermione waited patiently to the side, as I poured a dark magenta potion into another crystal vial, then handed it to her. She raced out, bushy brown hair flowing behind her.<p>

I sighed, stirred the last potion, a revolting looking neon, toxic waste green, and put a lid on it. It needed to brew for exactly three minutes and thirty seconds in order to work perfectly. I sat next to Fred, who tugged on my tie, pulling it off. "What happened to your necklace?" he asked. I looked down, noticing that the crystal, gold-edged rose wasn't there. I stiffened, then remembered that I had left it on my dresser in my room.

"In my room."

"Oh. You're just always wearing it, so I thought you'd lost it, or something."

"I don't like wearing it while I'm working. Too much of a chance that I'll lose it."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

My wand buzzed, and I quickly went over to the potion, taking the lid off. A sparkly steam flowed over the top, and I stirred it one last time, noticing that it had changed from the ugly green, to a striped rainbow. I smiled, and dumped it into my last crystal vial. I turned and smiled maliciously at Fred. "Ready?"

He smiled. "Finally. We get some action around here. I thought I was going to die."

"Patience is a key virtue."

"A key virtue that I don't have."

I laughed, and left the room, walking swiftly towards our marked places, Fred behind me.

* * *

><p>"Hey George!" I hurried over to the red-head, who waved goodbye to a friend and smiled at me.<p>

"Hey Briar! It's nice to know that there are still some people who like Cora who still talk to me."

I laughed. "Yeah, well, sorry to disappoint, but I'm not here for socializing."

His grin faded a bit. "Why?" I held up the bottle of rainbow liquid.

"I found a zit on my nose this morning, so I brewed some of that Zit-Zapping Potion that Madame Pomfrey uses, except I added a few touches so that my face wouldn't be red after I had used it." George nodded, believing my lie. "I made a bit too much, so since Cora was born with a face clear as glass, and Fred or any of my other friends don't need it, I thought you might."

George gaped at me. "Are you saying that I-I have _zits?_" I gave him a half-grin.

"Well….I saw a couple on your forehead yesterday…" I mumbled, watching out of the corner of my eye as Fred, hiding behind a wall, lazily pointed his wand at George, creating a few massive red spots to appear on his head.

"What?" George grabbed the potion, racing down the corridor. He stopped long enough to turn and wave at me. "THANKS BRIAR! I OWE YOU ONE!" Then he disappeared. Fred slid over from his spot, moonwalking. He spun as he got to me, doing jazz hands, a smirk decorating his face.

"Whaddya think? My own spell. George isn't the only twin with Charm skills."

"It was fabulous. I feel like I'm in debt to you now." Obviously, that was the wrong thing to say, as Fred waggled his eyebrows at me.

"Debt? Oh, Briar, I know just what you'll have to do."

"Save your perverted ideas for later, Ginger. We've got to go make sure the other traps were set." I pressed my hand against a stone in the wall, causing a ripple to flow through the others, creating a hidden passageway. "Let's go." Fred and I took off down the secret corridor, running to the next checkpoint, where, hopefully, Hermione would be waiting.

* * *

><p>"Did it work?" I asked, although I didn't really have to. Hermione was giggling so hard, I was scared she was going mad.<p>

"Mmhmm." She finally managed to say. "He walked right into it. Stepped on the trip wire, and the vat of potion fell all over him! His hair turned this horribly ugly yellow color, and then magenta stripes appeared! Sparkle dust even began to flow out of his ears! That was a bloody brilliant potion, Briar! Where'd you learn it from?"

I shrugged. "I didn't."

She and Fred both looked at me incredulously. "You mean…that was all improvisation? You didn't, like, know the ingredients beforehand or anything?" Fred gazed at me.

I shook my head, beaming. "Nope. I just threw together what I figured would do the job. I secretly didn't even believe it would work, which was why I had you hook up that tub of slime, Hermione. Just in case."

Fred gazed at me in awe, then kneeled. "You are now by far the most amazing girl I have ever met."

"I hope that wasn't a confession of love."

He stood up, wrapped his lean arms around me, and kissed me on the cheek. "You know you wish it was."

I moaned. "Not this again." I pushed him off, and looked to Hermione. "I want you to go meet Luna and Cora by the Great Hall. Be ready for the final step." She nodded, glanced suspiciously at Fred, who gave her a malicious grin in return, then raced off.

Fred bowed to me. "My Lady, would it be alright if I went to go check on our lovely victim to make sure he has been thoroughly slimed?"

"That would be just marvelous." Fred left through another passageway, while I cleaned up the last of the potion and made the vat, trip wire, and ropes disappear. I smiled as I ran through the same corridor Fred had left through. "Poor George. He never realized who exactly he was dealing with when he started cheating."

* * *

><p>Ten minutes and a vat of slime later, Fred had sent his patronus, a hyena, to tell me that George was indeed in the boys' dormitory bathroom, shampooing the slime and potion out of his hair. I stood with Hermione at Cora and Luna's meeting point, in front of the Great Hall. They soon came running, breathless, down the hallway, stopping when they saw us.<p>

"Did it go well?" Hermione asked, impatient for news.

Cora smiled, as did Luna. "We were almost caught. The Boys' Dormitory stairs get flooded with swamp animals and squids if a girl goes up them, probably a new precaution. Luna and I managed to get around them, but George burst in right after we put the potion in his shampoo." Cora laughed, and Luna continued with the story.

"So we had to pretend we were searching through Fred's things, looking for his diary."

"Diary?"

Cora nodded. "We didn't know he had one. Apparently, George knew he did, and asked us why we needed it. So we said-we-we said-" Cora couldn't stop laughing, and Luna was almost dying.

"WHAT?" Hermione and I both shouted.

"We-we told him we needed it in order to prove to you that Fred loves you. So guess what he did?"

Hermione glared at them. "Any more question about whether or not we want to know, and I'll show Amortentia down your throats, and make you fall in love with Draco Malfoy."

Luna continued.

"He helped us find it! Fred has a diary! Can you believe it?"

Cora jumped in. "It's actually more like a journal, and the only thing half interesting in it was 'Today, I transfigured Snape's nose away. Right good laugh about him being You-Know-Who.'"

"When was that?" I asked. Cora smiled evilly, then whipped out a dark, leather notebook, with silver edging on the sides. She flipped to a certain page, and read aloud.

"April 18th, 2nd year of Hogwarts."

"I think I remember that. It caused a big amount of ruckus among the teachers, didn't it? It was our first year then." I said, suddenly recalling McGonagall interviewing every Gryffindor specifically, asking whether they had done it or not. A sudden thought hit me. "Wait, that isn't…_it_ is it?"

Cora and Luna both nodded. I laughed. "You guys are geniuses!" I reached out to take the journal, but Cora raised it out of my grasp and shook her finger in my face.

"Uh-uh-uhh. I'm combing through this until I find out what Fred _really _writes in here." She and Luna gave each other looks, and burst out laughing. "I still think it's hilarious that Fred actually keeps a _journal._"

"You guys _wished _I kept a journal." All four of us turned around to see Fred leaning against a wall, shooting sparks out of his wand. "Journals are for guys with no lives or incredibly complicated love lives. I, thankfully, have neither. Therefore, I do not own, nor will I ever own, a journal." Cora held up the leather-bound book.

"Then what's this?"

"That, my dear Cora, is called a _fake._ I use it to cover up what the heck I've been doing, which I'm sure you four would all love to know about." Surprisingly, he only winked at me as he said it. I huffed.

"Did you come here to tell me something, or do you just like eavesdropping?"

"Actually, I do like eavesdropping, but my mission is the former. Cora's loverboy will be running down this hallway in T minus 10…9…8….7…" He continued to count down as Cora and Luna hid in the Great Hall, and Hermione and I set the trap. I sat next to Fred, and Hermione grabbed a book out of her bag to pretend reading, right as Fred reached 0, and George came bursting down the hallway, his hair turning multiple ugly shades of color, as well as being messed up that it looked like he was Einstein. Golden sparkles flowed off of him, and rainbows were pouring out of his ears. The best part was that his skin had been turned blue, and there were red hives appearing all over his body.

Fred casually waved his wand, springing the trap. It grabbed George by the ankle, pulling him up to the ceiling. I silently Petrified him, and Fred waved happily at his captured brother. He glared at us, and I mouthed "Sorry." as the three of us ran off. Cora and Luna were going to meet us in the Gryffindor Common Room. George dangled behind us, the words "CHEATERS NEVER PROSPER" written in red spray-paint on him, courtesy of Hermione. Fred grabbed my arm, slowing me down so that Hermione ran ahead of us. He smirked at me.

"Briar, you owe me something."

"What?"

"You'll see. I'm just letting you know what's coming up." He winked, and looked like he was about to leave, but then quickly kissed me on the cheek. "We should prank together more often, princess." He gave me a soft smile, like he had genuinely enjoyed being with me, then ran off behind Hermione, leaving me to stand alone in the hallway, void of students.

"He's never smiled at me that way before." I whispered, touching my cheek.

I didn't realize that, from that moment on, I would find that something had changed between us. For better or for worse, I didn't know, or even vaguely want to. All I knew was that Fred seemed different to me now. He wasn't like an annoying shadow anymore. Not even close.


	12. A Bit Of Uneducational Reading

H**ello, children. How have your days been? That's cool…I guess…considering I didn't hear your response…So…yeah…sorry for the bad-quality chapter but SOMEONE was rushing me and I can't work well when I'm being rushed. Now, I'm not going to name-names or point fingers but only one person was rushing me. CRYSTALLIZEDFLAMES. Oops…THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN. YOU DON'T KNOW WHO I'M TALKING ABOUT. WHAT? NO, WE'RE JUST GOING TO GET ON WITH THE CHAPTER SO FORGET THE LAST MINUTE OF YOUR LIFE AND STOP READING MY AUTHOR'S NOTE.**

**Disclaimer: Yep…no more witty comments…maybe I'll come up with one for my next chapter…no promises…anyway, I don't own Harry Potter.**

**_A Bit Of Uneducational Reading_**

**October 19th**

I can't believe Mum's making me keep a diary…Doesn't it seem a bit…girly? And why doesn't Fred have to keep one? Blaugh…whatever…

-George

**October 23rd**

God…Cora's so amazing…her dark hair just falls perfectly…Holy crap, those eyes. They're so beautiful. She's so sweet too…and the way her voice cracks every so often…its adorable…

-George

**November 2nd**

Holy crap, it seems like Cora knows me better than I do. It seems like she knows everyone better than they do…except Briar…she's pretty hard to read. It's kind of scary though, the way Cora can figure out what you're going to say before you say it….I feel like she knows something she shouldn't but…I don't know, maybe I'm juts overreacting.

-George

**November 3rd**

Angelina Johnson

Coralie Sterling

-George

**December 17th**

Holiday break starts today and Cora and Briar are coming home with us.  
>I'm so excited, she finally gets to meet Mum and Dad. They haven't shut up about when they're going to get meet her and now they can finally keep their mouths sealed about the subject.<p>

-George

**December 24th-25th**

Well, our annual Holiday party was wicked. Fred was a genius to suggest putting spells on the mistletoe. But, knowing Fred…he might've gotten a little frisky with Briar…if you catch my drift…

-George

**January 3rd**

We're going back to Hogwarts today.

Finally…back to Angelina.

-George

**January 16th**

Cora found out…

About me and Angelina.

I feel guilty but…eh…nevermind…

-George

**February 1st**

Angelina, Fred, and I went to Hogsmeade today but…Fred disappeared to who-knows-where.

Probably a bathroom to go pleasure himself, the silly little perv…

-George

**February 2nd**

GAHHHHH! FREAKING FRED AND BRIAR AND EVERYONE ELSE! THEY FREAKING PRANKED ME THE LITTLE TWITS!

THEY COULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING BESIDES SCREWING UP MY HAIR!

-George

**February 12th**

Well…Charms is really awkward with Cora. She still sits next to me but she doesn't look at me or anything…

I guess it's what I deserve…I did hurt her.

-George

**February 28th**

Yeah so now Cora's at least being polite to me. She's not talking to me or anything but at least she deals with me without complaining. I don't blame her for hating me…I've been feeling guilty ever since I started seeing Angelina when I was still with her.

And I've been feeling even more guilty ever since Cora caught me with Angelina…

-George 

**March 3rd**

I broke up with Angelina today.

I think I'm going to try to talk to Cora soon…The guilt just keeps growing and growing and it won't go away.

I know she won't forgive me but…I still to talk to her. As soon as possible.

-George


	13. OWLS

**I'm sorry for the late update! The extremely late update. Really. I'm really sorry. In fact, if it hadn't been for MaddieInWonderland and my other friend, I probably would've just left it and never gotten to finishing it. But I'm very proud of it now. Probably my best chapter. :D Oh, and warning, there is a lot of language in here.**

**DISCLAIMER: I'm so very sorry for not owning HP. BUT SOMEDAY. I HAVE A DREAM...loljkno.**

_O.W.L.S_

_Dammit. Dammit. Dammit. DAMMIT._ I cursed as I wandered down the corridor, heading aimlessly towards wherever the heck would get me away from Cora. I was screwed. Totally and utterly screwed.

She had found my friggin journal.

The second she held it up, I was about ready to just grab my broomstick, fly home, and personally curse and Crucio Mum for forcing all the boys in the family to keep one. Bill threw his out years ago, and Charlie's "got burned up by one of the dragons, so sorry for the inconvenience, Mum, and I really don't need another one, I think I got all my feelings out in the last one, Mum," so to make sure we, George and I, didn't do anything stupid to ours, she personally put hexes and spells on each of them so we physically, mentally, and/or chemically couldn't do anything to them. Trust me, George and I both tried.

And now Cora had it. And Briar knew that I kept one. The only thing keeping me from utter humiliation was all of the curses I had put on the journal to keep anyone from reading it. There were a lot, and considering that Cora was bloody insane at Charms, it'd take her two, maybe three days to crack.

But I wasn't willing to take the risk of being in the Gryffindor Common Room when she did. Even more so when she told Briar.

If Briar finds out _half _the stuff that I put in there, she'd either never talk to me again, or never let me forget any of it by making fun of me.

Neither sounded very appealing to me.

It was strange, though. Ever since George's humiliation session, she's been pretty off around me. I don't really know what's up, but I do know one thing.

I'm finally-sort-of-kinda-maybe-just-a-little-bit over her.

I mean, sure, she still is unbelievably gorgeous in my eyes, and sure, she's one of the few people here other than George (who isn't speaking to me anymore, by the way) that understands how I work, but in reality, that's pretty much all she has going for her.

I mean, it's not like she's ever _nice _to me. Granted, I do manage to start her ravings because of something I've done or said, but still. She's not very nice to me…..

…..Except….that that…was what I complained to Lee about…DAMMIT.

I just can't win with this girl.

In the midst of all this thinking, I finally reached my aimless destination: Briar's thinking spot.

Climbing the tree, I finally reached her spot, staring out over the lake. It sparkled in the dimming light, small choppy waves splashing at the shores. It was now, as I looked at the lake, that I realized that school was ending. Hogwarts time was almost over, and summer was beginning.

Summer filled with George and Angelina making out in corners, and Ginny gushing over Harry while Ron gushed over Hermione. Worst, Bill and Charlie weren't coming home this summer. Charlie had sent an owl to Mum telling her that he was caught up in raising a new baby, and Bill had extra work at the Gringott's Bank he was at, apparently some idiotic goblin had set off a series of traps while he tried to get into a customer's vault to get them their money.

Guess where that left me?

The only non-in-love Weasley.

Well, more or less. I wasn't practically _fainting _every time I saw her. It was more like I just felt kinda weird. Not like butterflies or anything, but more like something was just pounding inside, wanting to get out. It was strange, and hopefully not serious.

I sighed, picking up a wayward stick, and throwing it into the lake. A tentacle shot up just before it hit the water, wrapping around it and breaking it in half, then falling back into the water, the stick left to float on the water's surface. _At least I won't have to study anymore…_

Study. Why did that word ring an alarm in my head?

_No more homework, no more books, no more O.W.L.s…_

_ O.W.L.s._

_ Shit._

_ That starts tomorrow._

Grabbing my bag, I leaped off of the wood platform, racing towards the Common Room.

As much as I didn't want to face Cora with a memory full of my problems from my journal, facing Mum with a rolling pin and Howlers at the standby was much, much worse.

* * *

><p>"You ready, mate?" Lee bounded up to me as we both headed off to our O.W.L.s' classes. I had Potions first, and he had Arithmancy.<p>

"Not really. Although I bet I'll do better than you. How you managed to be accepted into Arithmancy astounds me."

Lee laughed. "Doubt that, mate. I'm pretty smart, when it comes to Arithmancy. Can't say I can say the same for you, though. Sure you'll be alright without little Briar there to help you cheat?"

It had actually been a pretty big debate between the Hogwarts staff, whether Cora and Briar would be allowed to participate in O.W.L.s, even though they were only fourth years. It took them a long time, nearly to the beginning date of the O.W.L.s, to decide. Briar and Cora had been freaking out only days before, scared that they would have to cram study to get all the information in if they had to. Thankfully, McGonagall told them that they wouldn't have to, as the staff had decided against the idea of them taking O.W.L.s, saying that they weren't prepared, and blah blah blah.

I laughed. "Snape should give me an Exceeds Expectations, just for showing up."

Lee smirked. "Damn right, he should. Well, I'll see ya later, ginger!"

"Bye, dreadlocks."

"It'll become the new style, mate."

"Yep, right after people acknowledge that gingers do have souls, and no, we aren't zombies." I smiled as Lee just waved, running off down the corridor. I stopped at the Potions door, opening it, ready to enter the room that was sure to be the cause of my doom.

* * *

><p>"Aw, man, am I glad that O.W.L.s are almost over." I muttered, walking past a hundred other students, on my way towards Charms, the last O.W.L. of the day. The last O.W.L. of the year, thank goodness.<p>

My relief was ended the second I heard Angelina.

"Oh GEEOOORRRGGGGGGEEEEEE!" Her sing-song voice came up right next to my ear, permanently blasting my eardrum. Great.

She grabbed my arm, pulling it over her, and forcing me to give her a hug. "I missed you." She whispered, licking my ear, then nibbling my neck. I shivered, officially grossed out, and pushed her away, glaring at her.

"Well isn't it Angelina. What a surprise." I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. A couple students stopped to see what I was doing.

"George?" She frowned, staring at me.

"George? Really?" I gave her a look. "You know, it astounds me how someone like him can actually be attracted to a whore like you. I mean, could you possibly wear _any more_ eyeliner? And is there any way for your skirt to be _any _shorter? Listen, _sugarsnaps,_" Her eyes grew wide as I closed the distance between us, and I could feel her fear as the sarcasm turned to poison. "you've been dating my brother for a couple months now, yes?"

She nodded, then gulped. "But-But you two look exactly the same, and I just thought-"

I laughed, but it wasn't my normal laugh. It scared both her and me. It was strange, but I liked the power it held over her. "I think you'll find, my dear _Angelina,_ that my brother and I are _not _exactly the same, because I could never even think of being related to someone so shallow and selfish that he can't see what he's got until he's lost it, and gained a slut for himself instead."

She nodded again, her eyes widening as I took another step closer, whipping my wand out and aiming it at her throat. My eyes glared at her. "Disappointingly enough, I'm not allowed to decapitate you on Hogwarts grounds. So I guess you'll have to settle for a few conditions instead. Number 1," I started circling her, feeling the eyes of the students on us. Every one of them had stopped and formed a circle around us. "Never steal another guy from his girlfriend again. It's not only rude, but also gives a horrible impression to the students around you." I smiled evilly at the ones watching, a few of which grinned back. "2. If I see you trying to talk, much less breathe next to Cora, Briar, or even me again, decapitation won't be your worst problem." Her eyes turned away from mine, and I pressed the tip of my wand under her chin, forcing her eyes to stare at mine. I leaned in close, my lips brushing her ear. I felt her stiffen underneath my touch. I smiled as I whispered the last condition.

"And 3. If you _ever_ confuse my bastard brother and me again, I'll make your life a living _hell,_ Angelina Johnson." I smiled sweetly as I zapped her with my wand, making her flinch. Then, loud enough for the surrounding students to hear, "Now run along, you cheating, slutty little bitch." I turned away, and smiled as the crowd stared, counting down in my head.

_5…4…3….2…1...and…_

Angelina screamed, and people started to laugh as boils began to pop up all over her body. They turned from green to purple, popping and exploding puss all over her. I waved as she ran down the corridor, and people began to congratulate me, cheering and yelling as I tried to get to Charms.

"Bloody brilliant, Fred!"

"Sum'un need'd ta tell 'er, eh Fred? Nice job."

"God, Fred. I haven't laughed that hard since Lee's commentating during the last Gryffindor vs. Slytherin match."

I smiled as the same lines were thrown to me, laughing at the few that were tossed by my friends. Someone grabbed my arm, pulling me away from the crowd of students. I laughed in relief when I saw who it was.

"Lee! Thank God, mate. I was nearly suffocated."

"I realized. I would've left you there to deal with it, but we were both going to be late for Charms if I had stayed and watched as they all threw themselves selflessly at you." He smirked. "That was exceptional, Fred. Extremely. Someone needed to put her in her place. She's gotten so clingy to you and George lately that I feel like I haven't been able to speak with you about anything."

"We talked yesterday. And the day before that. Not to mention last night in the Common Room. And this morning."

"You know what I mean, mate." He hissed as we ran into Charms, settling into our seats just seconds before the bell rang for the late students. Professor Flitwick smiled as he held up the Charms O.W.L.

"The test will be divided into two parts. First is the written test. Please remain seated and quiet as I pass them out. My wand has been malfunctioning lately, probably due to overuse, so I'll be passing out the tests by hand." He began at the first row, slowly setting tests onto the other students' tables. Lee turned and I frowned.

"The whole school probably knows by now, Lee. I'm going to be mobbed until school ends."

Lee chuckled. "True. The Hogwarts gossip mill runs about as fast as Malfoy to his dad when something bad happens to him."

Flitwick glared at the two of us. "Weasley, Jordan, this is a no-talking test."

"Sorry, Professor." We both muttered as he continued to pass out tests, getting closer to our row.

"Hey, Fred."

"What?"

"You'll probably get detention for what you did to Angelina. Students aren't allowed to attack each other."

"When did you become the Hogwarts Rulebook?"

"When my best friend decided to use his 60-second Black Plague charm on a girl, albeit a bitchy one, who is the teacher's pet of Professor McGonagall."

"McGonagall likes me more. Ever since Angelina became a whore, no one, not even the teacher's, have liked her."

"Don't count on it. I'm sure there are definitely teachers out there who will reprimand you. Flitwick is probably the most likely. The Plague charm might not work that well."

"We'll see." I whispered as Flitwick handed us our tests. He winked at me, motioning for me to bend down.

"Weasley, that charm you worked on Angelina Johnson was absolutely specatacular. It was fantastic! As a reward on the genius of that charm, I'm already giving you extra credit points, enough to bump you up to another whole Wizarding Level! It'll be our little secret." He winked again. "Absolutely fantastic, Weasley! Marvelous. Simply marvelous." He kept muttering as he waddled away from me.

"Thanks, Professor." I said, beaming at Lee, who just scowled, and continued with his test.

I could hardly refrain from laughing when his quill spelled out, "_You lucky bastard."_ On a paper next to his test.

* * *

><p>"IT'S OVER!" Lee screamed as we burst out of the Charms classroom. Most likely, he had failed the written exam, but he and I worked wonders during the physical portion of the test. I laughed, but stopped when I saw a mob of girls, ranging all the way from first year to seventh year, waiting impatiently outside of the classroom.<p>

"Crap." I hissed. They heard about the Angelina thing. As much as I wanted people to know my brilliance, being chased by a shitload of girls isn't why I wanted them to know.

"Bloody hell." Lee stated simply as they all saw me and screamed at exactly the same time. I grabbed his arm, and sprinted as fast as I could down the hallway in the other direction.

"Man, you really know how to get'em, Fred!" Lee yelled as we raced around the castle, the mob of girls screaming behind us.

I laughed. "I feel like a rockstar. Lee, now would be a good time to use that Disappearing Smoke spell you came up with."

"Right-o." He waved his wand behind us, shouting some words, and a puff of jet black smoke spurted out of it. He drew it all over as we ran, grabbing my arm when we came to a side hallway and pulling me through it. "That should keep them away for awhile."

"Thanks."

"No problem, mate. Now where the hell are we?" I looked around as Lee started opening random doors. It was the abandoned Charms classroom hallway, where Briar and Cora practiced. I heard a few notes of faint music, and glared at Lee, who was making a racket.

"Lee, shut up for three seconds."

"I'm counting it down. three one thousand, two one thousand..."

"Seriously." I listened for the notes again, and sure enough, there they were. I motioned for him to be quiet, and started down the corridor, following the music. It was coming from the classroom at the very end of the hall. I pushed the old wooden door open slowly, and there was Briar, in her white long-sleeved leotard with her dark blue t-shirt tied at her waist, dancing with streamers to an instrumental song. "Found her." I whispered to Lee, who peered in with me. His mouth gaped at her.

"Fred, I'm actually jealous of you for once. You get _her?_ Who am I left to have? Moaning Myrtle?"

"Shut up and watch, fruitcake."

"I'm not the fruitcake, you are."

"You will be if you don't shut up."

"That's reassuring."

"Lee-"

"I'm watching, I'm watching..."

The two of us watched through the crack in the door as Briar started her gymnastics routine. She had shown it to me before, so I thought I knew what was going on, until she pulled her wand out and waved it in the air. I heard her whisper a faint spell, and a long string of sparkling blue fabric flew out of it, creating her own personal streamer. She waved it in the air as her foot came up to touch her head, then sped back towards the ground as she held the streamer up in a move she had told me was called Scorpion.

I didn't think it looked much like a scorpion, and I had told her so too. She had just glared at me, saying that I didn't understand gymnastics and dance very well. I told her that I was glad I didn't, because it looked extremely painful, and I'd rather be stung by a scorpion than have to do the dance move named after it.

She had kicked me in the face as a retaliation.

Lee nudged me back to Earth as the music died and Briar finished the routine with a backwards walk-over followed by a cartwheel into the splits.

I took that as my cue to interrupt. "I'd rather be stung by a scorpion."

She whipped her head around, making her platinum hair fly out in all directions. She focused in on me with a glare. "I have feet and I will use them, Weasley."

"Last names? Really?" She continued glaring at me. "Alright, alright. Don't expect me to fall in love with you then, Sterling."

Lee stepped in then. "Hi. I'm still here, too. Briar, it's nice to see you." He smiled and waved at her as she got up from her splits. She smiled back. I felt myself stiffen. _Why did she smile at him?_

"Oh, hi Lee! I didn't see you behind Mr. Egotistical."

"Thanks, Thorny."

"Shut up."

"When you do, Princess."

"Ginger."

"I'll just leave you two alone with your insults." Lee laughed, then walked out of the room. Neither Briar and I said anything until his footsteps had disappeared down the hallway and out through another door.

"I heard about what you did to Angelina." Briar said, flicking her wand, causing the blue streamer to zip back up into it.

"Oh. Yeah. I was chased by a mob of girls after my O.W.L because of it."

"Cora almost started crying when she heard what you had done. Angelina's been making her life unlivable. She ran off after Hermione told her, muttering something about a book."

I froze. _Shit._ "Do you know where she is now? Where can I find her?"

"Probably in the Common Room. But...Fred..." She paused, and I turned around to see her staring at the floor. Her eyes were sad, but it disappeared as she continued talking. "You aren't...you don't...like...her, do you?"

"Cora? Yeah, I like her. I mean, who wouldn't? She's a great person. I'm still shocked that George dumped her, but hey, now it's my turn to get close to her." I winked at Briar, smiling, but she just turned away. I frowned. "Briar? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." She stammered. "The streamer is changing colors, and I need to fix it. I'll see you in the Common Room."

"Yeah, okay." I studied her for a bit, but she didn't turn around, just kept her head down, fiddling with her wand. "Well...I'll see you later."

"Yeah. Bye." She said curtly. I turned and ran out of the room, jogging down the hallway so I could get to Cora. Briar mentioned a book, and I would bet anything it was my journal Cora had been mumbling about. Maybe I could get it back without her looking through it somehow...

Speaking of Briar, something weird had happened back there. I shook my head. _Maybe I had imagined it..._but no. No. Something was wrong with Briar.

_Later. Now I have to find Cora._


End file.
